▁by ▁the ▁People ▁Power ▁Revolution ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁The ▁decision ▁became ▁the ▁corner stone ▁of ▁subsequent ▁dec isions ▁whenever ▁the ▁valid ity ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁Constitution ▁was ▁question ed . ▁ ▁Background ▁Mar cos ▁declared ▁mart ial ▁law ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁The ▁Congress ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁was ▁then ▁pad locked , ▁and ▁full ▁legisl ative ▁authority ▁was ▁v ested ▁on ▁Mar cos ▁who ▁ruled ▁by ▁dec ree . ▁Many ▁prominent ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁opposition , ▁not ably ▁Ben ign o ▁Aqu ino ▁Jr . ▁and ▁Jose ▁W . ▁Di ok no , ▁were ▁arrested ▁and ▁placed ▁in ▁military ▁j ails . ▁ ▁Despite ▁the ▁declaration ▁of ▁mart ial ▁law , ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁Constitution al ▁Convention ▁continued . ▁On ▁November ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁the ▁Convention ▁approved ▁the ▁new ▁constitution ▁and ▁the ▁next ▁day , ▁Mar cos ▁issued ▁President ial ▁Dec ree ▁ 7 3 , ▁" Sub m itting ▁to ▁the ▁Filip ino ▁people , ▁for ▁rat ification ▁or ▁re jection , ▁the ▁Constitution ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁proposed ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁Constitution al ▁Convention , ▁and ▁appropri ating ▁funds ▁there for ", ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁setting ▁the ▁ple bis cite ▁for ▁rat ification ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁Char ito ▁Plan as , ▁a ▁sta unch ▁critic ▁and ▁later ▁vice - may