Dipolog-Dumaguete route now guarded vs. terrorists

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the government forces to guard the waters between Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte and Dumaguete, Negros Oriental to prevent the Islamic State-inspired Maute group from entering Visayas.

Duterte told reporters during his visit to the 401st Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division Advance Command Post in Butuan City on Saturday that there is a possibility that the Maute militants could escape Mindanao using this route.

"I was toying with the possibil- ity that if they escape to the Visayas, Dumaguete, Dipolog, it is just a short run… you can go to Cebu, Dumaguete. I want those areas to be guarded," he said.

Duterte reiterated his warning that if the terrorists could enter Visayas, he might suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.

"If they can enter the area, I will not declare martial law there but I will have them picked up without a warrant because they arrived from Mindanao. It's a continuing crime," he said.

Rebellion, a continuing crime which is punishable under Ar- ticle 134 of the Revised Penal Code, is one of the bases of Duterte's declaration of martial law in Mindanao last May 23. The other basis is invasion.

"When you connect the rebellion, whether the place is under martial law or not, you can be arrested anytime. That was the rationale when I said that itong Visayas baka magkaroon ito ng suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus. Para pick-up lang ako ng pick-up. Dito, they are allowed to do that," Duterte said.

He said the government forces are not duty-bound to secure a search or arrest warrant because before they could be granted the request by the court, many soldiers could have been killed already.

"By the time I find a judge to issue a warrant, 10 of my soldiers could have died already," he said.