Oca, Bambi ambivalent over ML extension

Misamis Oriental Governor Yevgeny ‘Bambi’ Emano on Wednesday, July 19, said he favors the proposed extension of martial law in Mindanao until the last day of 2017, but said government forces should hurry in solving the Marawi crisis to prevent further adverse effects on the local economy.

While the governor is optimistic that the martial law extension would be enough, Emano said local business leaders are pessimistic about the impact of the prolonged fighting to the economy.

“A mayor, who is an owner of a gasoline station, was hurt of the declaration. Before martial law was declared, he sells not less than 20,000 liters per day. But since the declaration, it dropped t only around 8,000 liters a day. So it’s hard to admit but it happened,”Emano said.

“Since the military has not yet taken total control of the situation in Marawi, the proposed extension of martial rule is necessary, ”Emano added.

Emano said the public need not worry about prolonging the implementation of martial law in the island since there have been no human rights abuses by authorities were recorded.

Though the governor admits that tourist arrivals in the province has dropped, he said ‘the crisis is not over yet and we are all affected’.

Emano said he believes once the fighting is over and the martial law is lifted, “we will eventually recover.”

On the other hand, Mayor Oscar Moreno said he would leave the proposed martial law extension to the Congress.

“Under the constitution, the extension would require the conformity of Congress, voting jointly. I would leave it to the Congress to debate on that,”Moreno said.

Moreno said Duterte knows he does not want dictatorship but rather a firm and resolute application of the law.

Moreno said the city is affected with anything that has to do with Mindanao, adding that it is important that any terror threat must be addressed immediately.

“The supremacy of the law is very important. The situation in Marawi, naa pa gyud risks, mas maayo pa nga mag-prevent kaysa magbasol ta later,”Moreno said.