Ejercito, Lacson chide FVR for criticizing Duterte's handling of Marawi crisis

Two senators on Friday chided former President Fidel Ramos for criticizing President Rodrigo Duterte’s handling of the attacks in Marawi City.

“FVR should just keep quiet because his time is up. He has to respect President Duterte's decisions and moves,” Senator JV Ejercito said in a text message reporters.

“FVR does not exactly have a very good track record as president,” Ejercito said, adding that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) “became very strong” during Ramos’ administration.

Ejercito is the son of Ramos’ successor, former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who launched an all-out war against the MILF in 2000.

“Malaki ang kasalanan ni Ramos bakit lumakas ang pwersa ng MILF and other secessionist movements. I don’t think he is the proper person to advise President Duterte on this matter,” he said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, for his part, said Ramos should let the Duterte government do its job.

“Mas makakatulong tayong mapadali na ma-resolve ang crisis sa Mindanao kung pababayaan na muna nating gawin ng pamahalaan ang nararapat under the circumstances instead of criticizing without knowing the facts and the developments obtaining on the ground,” Lacson said.

“It goes without saying that we should remain vigilant na lang for possible abuses in the implementation,” he added.

In a press conference earlier in the day, Ramos criticized Duterte as “very panicky” for eyeing to impose martial law nationwide, even as he denounced the declaration of such in all areas of Mindanao.

Ramos said that while the President’s decision wasn’t exactly “wrong,” martial law may be the “correct solution but for a limited part of Mindanao.”

“There is enough peace there that need not be subjected to martial law,” he said.

Ramos called on authorities to impose the martial law declaration without abusing human rights.

“Our government must take strong measures without abusing human rights to limit violence...Tingnan natin kung mangyayari 'yan eh wala pang martial law, katakot-takot na ang human rights violations,” the former President said.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, for his part, defended the government, saying that it is “making successful headway in recapturing Marawi and at the same time preventing the spread of chaos in other parts of Mindanao.” —KBK, GMA News