Manila Times-Aug 30
The House leadership on Thursday backed a Malacañang proposal to extend martial law in Mindanao, following a blast in Sultan Kudarat that left two people dead. House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said President Rodrigo Duterte “does not need a peanut gallery to tell him what to do.”
“I support martial law in Mindanao. I support what [the President]does because I’ve been president,” she told reporters in Pampanga.
On Wednesday, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said martial law extension “remains an option” in Mindanao.
Medialdea, however, said Tuesday’s blast did not necessarily mean martial law, imposed in Mindanao on May 23, 2017 following the Marawi City attack and extended twice, would be immediately extended for a third time.
Two people were killed and 37 others were wounded when an improvised bomb exploded in Barangay Kalawag 3, Isulan August 28.
Duterte’s martial law order, under Proclamation 216, was approved by Congress on May 31, 2017, and on July 23, 2017 was extended to December 31, 2017.
On December 13, 2017, Congress extended martial law in Mindanao to December 31, 2018 upon the President’s written request. The Supreme Court upheld the legality of martial law in Mindanao on December 5, 2017.
Under the Constitution, the President can declare martial law and suspend the writ of habeas corpus (allowing warrantless arrests) in cases of invasion or rebellion, or when the public safety requires it.
‘Consult people, convene NSC, Ledac’
Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. of Camarines Sur echoed Arroyo and said the House was willing to extend the implementation of martial law in Mindanao if President Duterte wanted it. “The declaration of martial law is the call of the executive. The President declares or extends [it], [and]Congress concurs. If the President will ask for it, then it will be given,” Andaya said.
Andaya, however, said the Palace should convene the National Security Council (NSC) or the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council to discuss the progress of the Marawi City rehabilitation efforts and consult stakeholders on whether the implementation of martial law should be extended or not. “Bottomline, the people of Mindanao should be consulted,” Andaya said.
The Maute group’s siege of Marawi City lasted more than five months and left over a hundred soldiers, at least 47 civilians, about 800 terrorists dead and 500,000 people displaced. Based on the post-conflict needs assessment conducted by the government, the Marawi rehabilitation would cost at least P49.81 billion.
Earlier, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the implementation of martial law in Mindanao was effective, even after the bombing in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat on Tuesday night.
Lorenzana made the statement during the presentation of the Department of Defense’s proposed P183.4-billion budget for 2019 before the House Appropriations panel on Wednesday night.
“Martial law is working in Mindanao. There are pockets of Maute, BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces), Abu Sayyaf, but we are able to stave them off. The feedback of the citizenry is also good. Sabi nga nila, kung pwede, tuloy-tuloy (Some even said if they had it their way, martial law would go on). But we are not sure if we will recommend the extension of martial law. It will depend on the next couple of months,” Lorenzana said. “But so far we have achieved our objectives,” Lorenzana added.
Lorenzana noted that martial law enabled the military to install mobile check points.
“These happened because of martial law. We are still battling insurgency in Eastern Mindanao, but we are getting there,” Lorenzana said.
Senators balk at proposal. Sen. Panfilo Lacson however said the bombing incident in Sultan Kudarat was an indication that neither martial law nor the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) could guarantee peace in Mindanao.
The senator instead called for the passage of his Senate Bill 1956 or the “Anti-Terrorism Act of 2018,” which aims to enhance the Human Security Act of 2007 or Republic Act 9372 with provisions on foreign terrorists and additional predicate crimes.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan said that while the bombing was deplorable and the perpetrators should be apprehended and brought to justice, he did not see the need for a martial law extension.
“The existing martial law proclamation failed to prevent the bombing so why would an extension prevent a future bombing? What is needed is no-nonsense police work to punish the guilty and if necessary the calling out of the armed forces to address these lawless elements without need for a martial law declaration,” Pangilinan said.
Lacson’s bill uses the term “terrorist acts” instead of “terrorism,” to remove the requirement of the acts being perpetrated for the purpose of coercing the government to give in to a specific demand. “This has the effect of punishing the act of committing crimes that sow widespread extraordinary fear and panic, and not the purpose behind the commission of such acts,” he said.
https://www.manilatimes.net/house-backs-extension-of-mindanao-martial-law/436368/
