Martial law extension eyed
AFP recommending one more year of military rule in Mindanao due to clamor of stakeholders
Outgoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez Jr. Monday said the military will recommend a one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao.
Galvez said the military leadership made the decision following the recommendation submitted by Regional Public Order Councils (RPOC), local government units (LGUs), and even the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and other agencies.
“We will be recommending, we will be recommending,” Galvez told reporters following Monday’s flag-raising ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
“Yes.(For another year) so that we can substantially make
significant... significant dent on terrorism,” he added.
With the support from the military, police, and the residents of the region, Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said President Duterte might be “persuaded” to seek another extension of martial law in Mindanao.
Panelo said the President’s main consideration for any martial law declaration would always be the safety of the people.
“Of course the President will always evaluate whatever recommendations the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police) will give him but given the support of martial law in Mindanao, you have a Catholic bishop and the citizens there, the President maybe persuaded to grant the recommendation,” Panelo said during a news conference in the Palace.
Galvez said extending martial law in Mindanao for another year will be their final position as there is really a clamor for its extension.
“’Yun ang magiging ano, position namin [That will be our position) because there is really a clamor for the extension (of martial law) considering that terrorism is still lurking in the area," Galvez said.
The outgoing AFP Chief of Staff, who will retire from the military service at the age of 56 on December 12, 2018, cited the recent bombing in Basilan and encounters in Sulu as reasons for extending martial law.
“The Sulu problem still persists and also, we have also some bombings in Isulan and GenSan (General Santos) and also continuous bombing in Maguindanao. So there is really a need to constrict and limit the maneuver space of the terrorist to the maximum,” Galvez said.
“We have a very weak terrorism law so with that, martial law is needed to completely defeat terrorism,” he said.
Galvez said their recommendation to extend martial law in Mindanao will be submitted to the Secretary of National Defense (SND) Delfin Lorenzana.
He assured that martial law will not be extended to other parts of the country.
“And then most probably this (command) conference, this coming December 12 with the new Chief of Staff, we will be presenting the recommendation,” Galvez said.
“Yes, it will not be expanded. It (martial law) will only be in Mindanao,” he said. (With a report from Genalyn D. Kabiling)