Duterte on SC decision: Mindanao-wide martial law really needed to prevent spillover

SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, Bulacan — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday stood by his decision to declare martial law in Mindanao after the Supreme Court affirmed the declaration, even as he expressed respect for some justices' dissenting opinions.

Attending the wake of five people massacred in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, Duterte said martial law in the island is necessary to prevent terrorists from wreaking havoc in other parts of Mindanao and beyond.

“Well I would give due respect to the opinions, the dissenting ng nagsulat ng questioning the martial law power of the President. Alam mo, it’s a very short-sighted thing,” said Duterte, who said he has not seen a copy of the decision.

Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao on May 23, hours after pro-ISIS Maute Group members seized several installations in the city leading to clashes with government troops.

Eleven justices voted in favor of martial law in the entire Mindanao, three said it should only be implemented in Marawi City, while one voted against the declaration..

Duterte reiterated that the military and the police told him that the situation in Marawi City was critical before he made the declaration.

“Alam mo, iyong Central Mindanao if you look at the map is in Central Mindanao kaya nga central, sa gitna. You have the two Lanaos,” he said.

“When you declare martial law, you have to use your coconut, the grey matter between your ears. It’s easy to escape because there is no division in terms of land. You can go anywhere, there can be a spillover,” he added.

"Ang critical sa iyo might not be critical to the justices of the Supreme Court. It may not be critical, wala naman silang pakialam ilan namatay na tao diyan, but when you explode IEDs sa Zamboanga sa national city high school, in Marawi sa library, how would you characterize it?"

Duterte said martial law should have been declared after a bombing in Davao City by the Maute Group in September 2016.

"Before, I'm warning the nation, 'Don't force my hand into it because if I declare martial law, tatapusin talaga natin.' For as long as there is one terrorist sa Marawi na iyan, hindi na hihinto iyan," he said. —JST/KVD, GMA News