Defense execs say they didn’t recommend martial law—opposition solons

Top defense and military officials told senators in a closed-door briefing that they did not recommend President Rodrigo Duterte's declaration of martial law, opposition lawmakers said on Tuesday.

“When asked, the security officials said hindi sila yung nag-rekomenda," Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said.

In fact, the military supposedly told senators that they could stop the Maute group even without martial law.

"One particular issue, question was asked pointedly by Senator Trillanes, can we contain Maute without marital law? The answer of (Defense) Secretary (Delfin) Lorenzana, yes we can," Minority Leader Franklin Drilon added.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said the security officials who attended the briefing told them that they had no choice as Duterte had already declared martial law.

“Siya ang nag-affirm na dahil nag-desisyon na ang presidente, hindi na dumaan sa calling out powers...dahil dumeretso na sa martial law, obligado na silang [mag-implement],” Hontiveros said.

The minority bloc is pushing for a joint session by Congress to discuss Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

‘Different slant’

Meanwhile, Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, an ally of Duterte, said the minority bloc gave a different “slant” on what was discussed during the briefing.

“Slant na naman yan eh. Ang slant kasi ng anti-Duterte, yun ang gusto palabasin agad. Eh ako hindi ganun ang pagkaka-intindi ko eh,” Sotto said. 

“Ang sinasabi niya siya, si Secretary Lorenzana personally hindi siya ang nag-recommend. Hindi somebody, [it was] the intelligence arm of the Armed Forces [who made the recommendation]...Sabi niya, ‘me personally I didn’t. Pero iba yung J2,” he added.

Sotto said he also had the impression from the briefing that authorities “need” martial law in area.

“Ang intindi ko they need it...The slant is always different. When you’re anti-Duterte, the slant will always will be anti-Duterte,” Sotto said.

For his part, chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said that Duterte has access to other intelligence reports aside from those coming from the military.

“You must remember that the President has all access to intelligent information from all sectors. So, it’s his call. The Constitution precisely gives him that call. He decides,” Panelo told reporters in Malacañang.

“Even if assuming that he said that, the DND secretary may have said that on a limited information, while the President is grounded on expanded information coming from many sources. I don’t think there was an inconsistency,” he said.

Aside from Lorenzana, also present during the executive session with senators were National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr. — NB/RSJ, GMA News