DUTERTE SEEKS EXTENSION OF MARTIAL LAW IN PHILIPPINES
▶ President imposed military rule in the Mindanao region after gunmen occupied Marawi city
President Rodrigo Duterte plans to extend martial law in the southern Philippines to defeat Abu Sayyaf militants who have seized Marawi city.
But his critics said the country could be edging towards dictatorship.
Mr Duterte had imposed military rule for 60 days in the Mindanao region, home to 20 million people, after gunmen waving ISIL flags occupied Marawi city on May 23, triggering clashes in which more than 550 people have died.
The military said about 60 militants continued to hold out against government forces nearly two months later, but critics were surprised by Mr Duterte’s request for martial law to be extended until December 31.
“I have come to the conclusion that the existing rebellion in Mindanao, which has prompted me to issue the martial law proclamation, will not be quelled completely by July 22, 2017,” Mr Duterte wrote to congress.
Members of congress will convene on Saturday to discuss the extension after the president met its leaders on Monday. The president also asked congress to suspend a constitutional safeguard against arrests without warrant.
“This is not only a step back, but several steps back for our democracy,” said Edcel Lagman, an opposition politician and critic of martial law.
Mr Lagman and senator Antonio Trillanes also warned of a possible repeat of the human rights abuses under the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, whose 20-year rule was ended by a bloodless popular revolt in 1986.
Mr Trillanes, a retired naval officer, also accused Mr Duterte of using martial rule as a way to install a revolutionary government that would allow him to stay in office beyond his sixyear mandate.
“Once he feels there is not enough opposition to a nationwide martial law declaration, he will go for it,” Mr Trillanes said.
The country’s constitution allows the president to impose martial law for up to 60 days and allows authorities to detain suspects for up to three days without charge.
Beyond two months, the president can extend martial law “for a period to be determined by the congress”.
But Mr Duterte’s allies dominate congress and house speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said yesterday he saw no obstacle to approving an extension.
The president had consulted the military and police on extending martial rule. In May, Mr Duterte said he had made the move to stamp out an attempt by militants, including foreign fighters, to establish an ISIL caliphate on Philippine territory.
“He also explained clearly his fear that terrorism might slowly spread throughout Mindanao and eventually the country,” said senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who attended Monday’s meeting.
But opposition senator Francis Pangilinan said martial rule was an “extraordinary and temporary measure”, and it was not right to extend it for a much longer period.
Mr Duterte should consider limiting martial law to the Muslim regions of Mindanao, Mr Pangilinan said.
He and former president Fidel Ramos, who supports Mr Duterte’s presidency but is critical of some of his policies, said extended martial rule could scare off investors.
“Martial law was necessary in the beginning but any extension should now be considered very carefully,” Mr Ramos said.
Opposition senator Risa Hontiveros urged colleagues not to rush their approval before Mr Duterte explained the situation fully to the people’s elected representatives.
“Congress is not a fast-food restaurant,” Ms Hontiveros said.
Security forces backed by the US have been using air strikes and artillery fire in attempts to root out the gunmen, and this week the military said those left were penned in a one-square-kilometre area of downtown Marawi.
Yesterday, the US ambassador to Manila, Sung Kim, said his government would give the Philippine military two Cessna surveillance aircraft.