Trillanes: Martial law extension a ‘whimsical misuse of power’

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to extend martial law until yearend is nothing but a “whimsical misuse of power.”

In a statement, Trillanes said a martial law extension is “totally not justified.”

Trillanes cited the report of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) over the weekend that the number of the Maute group has gone down to between 60 to 70.

“In other words, the people of Mindanao would be inconvenienced by Martial Law just to neutralize the 60 Mautes who are cornered in Marawi?” Trillanes said.

“That's just a whimsical misuse of power. Then again, I have already forewarned the public of Duterte's authoritarian tendencies and this is another proof of it,” he said.

Trillanes, a member of the Senate minority bloc, is a staunch critic of President Duterte.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a briefing earlier in the day that Duterte has written to Congress to extend martial law in Mindanao until December 31.

"For this reason and because public safety requires it, I call upon the Congress to extend until 31st December 2017 or for such a period of time as the Congress may determine the proclamation of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the whole of Mindanao," Abella quoted the President.

Duterte signed Proclamation No. 216 on May 23 declaring martial law and suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao after pro-ISIS Maute group attacked Marawi City.

Congress is scheduled to hold a special session on Saturday to discuss the request of Duterte for an extension. —KG, GMA News