Abraham "Ditto" P. Sarmiento Jr. (June 5, 1950 – November 11, 1977) was a Filipino student journalist who gained prominence as an early and visible critic of the martial law regime of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. As editor-in-chief of the Philippine Collegian, Ditto melded the University of the Philippines student newspaper into an independent though solitary voice against martial law rule at a time when the mass media was under the control of the Marcos government. His subsequent seven-month imprisonment by the military impaired his health and contributed to his premature death. Early life Ditto was born in Santa Mesa, Manila. His father, Abraham Sarmiento Sr., was a well-known lawyer and close friend of President Diosdado Macapagal who would be appointed an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines years after his son's death. As a child, Ditto was a voracious reader who would engage in discussions with adults about literature, religion and art. Ditto finished his primary and secondary education at the Ateneo de Manila. He distinguished himself at the Ateneo with his high marks and literary skills and even represented his school on a televised quiz show. His schooling though was frequently impaired by asthma attacks, which necessitated the installation of an oxygen tank in his bedroom. In 1967, Ditto enrolled at the University of the Philippines in Diliman where he joined the Alpha Phi Beta fraternity. At U.P., he befriended student activists who were increasingly agitated against the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, especially during the First Quarter Storm. In 1970, Ditto married his girlfriend, Marsha, and dropped out of the university. He and his wife would separate by 1972. Philippine Collegian After Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law in 1972, Ditto re-enrolled at the University of the Philippines as a business administration and accountancy student. He joined the staff of the official university newspaper, the Philippine Collegian. In 1975, Ditto was named the editor-in-chief of the Collegian after placing first in the editorial exams. Philippine newspapers and other mass media outlets had been closed upon the declaration of martial law, with only those sympathetic to the Marcos government being allowed to re-open. Against this backdrop, the Collegian under Ditto's leadership began to publish articles and editorials criticizing martial law and calling for the restoration of democracy. Ditto himself penned several editorials which he personally signed, concerning topics such as freedom of speech and of the