Another martial law year for Mindanao

THE TWO chambers of Congress, by a majority vote of its members in a joint session on Wednesday, approved another one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao in 2019.

The Senate voted 12-5 in favor with one abstention, while the House of Representatives voted 223-23.

Overall, 235 lawmakers voted for the extension, 28 against, and one abstained.

Senators who voted in favor were: Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, Senators Juan Edgardo M. Angara, Joseph Victor G. Ejercito, Sherwin T. Gatchalian, Richard J. Gordon, Gregorio B. Honasan, Panfilo M. Lacson, Emmanuel D. Pacquiao, Aquilino L. Pimentel III, Grace S. Poe Llamanzares, and Cynthia A. Villar.

On the other hand, Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon, Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV, Francis G. Escudero, Risa N. HontiverosBaraquel, and Francis N. Pangilinan.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto was the only lawmaker who abstained.

Martial law was first declared in Mindanao in May 2017 after government forces clashed with the extremist Maute group in Marawi City. After the 60-day period prescribed under the Constitution, Congress granted the President’s requests for an extension until December 2017, and later until December 2018.

In justifying the President’s request for a third extension, Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea maintained that rebellion continues to hound the country’s southern islands despite the gains made by the government in the past one year and seven months.

He then cited the continued activities of local terrorist groups such as the Abu Sayyaf, also notorious for its kidnap-for-ransom activities, and the Daulah Islamiyah and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. with reports from