Panelo on defense execs’ martial law remarks at Senate: Duterte has access to other intel

A Malacañang official on Tuesday reminded that President Rodrigo Duterte has access to other intel reports aside from country’s own Armed Forces, after defense officials told senators that they did not recommend for the Chief Executive to declare martial law in Mindanao.

While chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo refused to comment on the statement of Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana that the military could contain Maute group that attacked Marawi City without martial law, he said that the remarks would not diminish the factual basis of the declaration.

“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.

Earlier in the day, the minority bloc at the Senate said top defense and military officials told them that they didn't recommend the declaration of martial law in Mindanao arising from the Marawi incident.

”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 said. — Trisha Macas/RSJ, GMA News