Popularly accepted
When you have a situation like marauding Maute terrorists taking control of the city of Marawi, better brace yourself for the worst. If they were able to penetrate Marawi almost without any resistance then they could slip through sleeping security cordons in other soft targets elsewhere in Mindanao, or maybe Visayas and Luzon.
It is foolhardy and even childish to assume that these terrorist groups that are armed to the teeth are only concentrated in Marawi. Iit is more reckless to think that martial law is not needed or for that matter should not cover the entire Mindanao.
The martial rule regime of Marcos is contemptuous and so the framers of the 1987 Constitution had seen to it that the repeat of that era will never happen again. Martial law and dictatorship control power absolutely and the specter of gruesome events militates against the repeat of the same.
But that was then. Today, we have Rodrigo Duterte who is no stranger to dictatorial regime and martial rule. He is now president and is no dictator.
Kibitzers like the militant groups in Congress are opposing the declaration of martial law in Mindanao. But outside the confines of Congress, not a few were even begging President Duterte to impose martial law to quickly address lawlessness, corruption in the government bureaucracy and fast track the implementation of infrastructures long delayed by circuitous processes and TROs.
Maute terrorists or by whatever name they sport took control of Butid town in Lanao del Sur but their celebration was brief as the military pounded their bases. That was months ago. They must have regrouped and full-force crept into the Islamic city of Marawi.
My sympathies are for our Muslim brothers in Lanao. They are the victims of this act of terrorism. While we Christians demonize Muslims as though they invented terrorism, the truth is worldwide where extremism and terrorism had taken place, the huge majority of the victims are Muslims.
Maranaos, who inhabit Lanao provinces are known for their knack for arts and their native culture. They sell their arts which, despite the many influences of a hodgepodge of forms of arts, have survived and only enhanced with refinements and artistry. They are into commerce for which reason not a few of them are actively in business in Davao City selling their craft and other commodities that are distinctly of the people of the lake which they are.
Despite the popular acceptance of the enforcement of martial rule, the political opposition and their media establishments are not sleeping and watching akimbo by the wayside. Quickly they summoned the horrific specter of the Marcos martial regime in an effort to condemn Duterte.
But there is none of it. They fact that they rant and rage like loose cannons, eloquently argue against their misplaced claims. Martial law in Mindanao is for security. Period.--