AFP can blitz Maute even without martial law in Mindanao —De Lima

The Armed Forces could have handled the Maute group's presence in Marawi City even without the declaration of martial law, Senator Leila De Lima said on Thursday.

"We have the fullest faith and confidence in the ability of our armed forces to handle this situation, as they valiantly and successfully demonstrated during the Zamboanga Siege," De Lima said in a statement from detention.

"They did this without the need for the declaration of martial law," she added.

De Lima is detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame on drug charges.

She has denied the allegations and has claimed that she's a victim of political persecution by the Duterte administration.

"We have no doubt that our uniformed services have the capability, experience and the will to put an end to this crisis in Marawi in a strong and decisive manner, without resort to martial law," said De Lima, who was the Secretary of Justice during the Aquino administration.

De Lima called on Congress to carefully determine if martial law declaration in the entire Mindanao is really necessary.

"I call on my fellow members of Congress to faithfully perform their duties under the Constitution to exact from the President his obligation to report to Congress, in order for the latter to independently determine, based on such report, the propriety and necessity for the declaration or continuation of martial law," De Lima said.

"The safety and security of our people as well as the protection of their civil liberties are paramount, and promoting these necessarily requires the observance of the safeguards in the Constitution, in the event that the AFP chooses to exercise authority over civilian government as a consequence of general orders to be issued under Duterte’s declaration of military rule," the senator said.

De Lima also appealed to the public to help the troops hunt down the local terrorists.

"I call on our people to help our soldiers in hunting down the Maute group and its allies, and to extend assistance to the Marawi refugees in their time of distress. They need shelter, food, and clothing," De Lima said.

"This much we can do as the AFP clears out the remaining terrorists from Marawi and its environs so our countrymen can return to their communities and rebuild their city," she added.

De Lima strongly condemned the hostilities, which have caused casualties in the area.

"Maigting po nating kinokondena ang paghahasik ng takot, dahas at kaguluhan ng masasamang elemento. Kaisa po tayo ng AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) sa pagtataguyod ng kapayapaan sa Mindanao, at nananalangin rin po tayo para sa kaligtasan ng mga miyembro ng kasundaluhan at kapulisan na ngayon ay nagbubuwis ng kanilang buhay para sa kaligtasan ng ating mga mamamayan," De Lima said. —NB, GMA News