Esperon rejects martial law extension

National Security Adviser (NSA) Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. on Tuesday agreed with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that martial law in Mindanao should no longer be extended as local government units (LGUs) have been doing their parts to ensure public security.

"We have the same position," Esperon said.

On Monday, Lorenzana said he was no longer inclined to recommend to President Duterte the fourth extension of military rule in Mindanao.

"Many of the local executives think that they can manage on their own. I know the security arrangements that they have in Davao City and in some other urban centers there. Kaya kung sa kaya (They can manage)," Esperon explained.

However, Esperon cautioned that if martial law is lifted, authorities and the public should be more diligent to thwart any threat of terrorism or lawless violence.

"We should have more deployment in terms of checkpoint [operations], target-hardening [measures], and talking to possible targets," he said.

He also echoed the appeal of Lorenzana to Congress to pass the amended Human Security Act which is seen to give more teeth to law enforcement agents.

The proposed amendments by the Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to the Human Security Act of 2007 include the expansion of the authorized period of detention of a suspected terrorist from three days to 30 days, and the removal of the R500,000 fine per day for members of security forces who may have wrongfully detained a suspected terrorist.

"We hope that the amendments to the Human Security Act will come so we have something to rely on because if it will be amended, then it will give us more tools to fight terrorism. It will be good for us," Esperon stated.

"For now, our position is we are not inclined to recommend the extension of martial law in Mindanao," he added.

Esperon bared that the security cluster is set to have a joint command conference before the end of November where the martial law extension will be discussed.

"We will have to come up with firm decisions," he concluded.

President Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law on May 23, 2017 when the war between government troops and Islamic State (IS)-inspired terrorists took place in Marawi City.

After the siege ended in October 2017, Duterte asked that martial law be extended until the end of 2017, which Congress approved. It was again extended up to the end of 2018 and 2019.

The third extension will expire on December 31, 2019.