Enrile supports extension of Mindanao martial law

President Rodrigo Duterte was correct when he requested Congress to extend the martial law declaration in Mindanao despite the government's successful campaign against the Maute-ISIS group in Marawi City, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said Friday.

"The president was correct," Enrile told reporters at the Sandiganbayan after attending the pre-trial of his plunder case over his alleged involvement in the pork barrel fund scam.

Enrile, a former Defense minister during the Martial Law era, warned that another Marawi-like battle may soon spark if Duterte had not urged Congress to extend imposition of martial law in Mindanao.

"Marawi was just a battle. The fact that the government has succeeded in controlling the situation in that battle has not solved the problem. The problem is still there," Enrile said.

"Don't kid yourselves, if you do not have a system to control the situation it will explode again," he added.

Last month, a joint session of Congress voted 240-27 in approving Duterte’s request to extend martial law in Mindanao until December 31, 2018.

Duterte cited the military and police’s assessment pointing to continuing terrorist recruitment, increasing violence from the communist rebels and the rehabilitation of Marawi as grounds for the extension.

Duterte has since expressed his gratitude to Congress "for understanding the plight of Filipinos."

A number of petitions have been filed with the Supreme Court to nullify the extension. On  Friday, former Commission on Human Rights chairperson Etta Rosales filed another petition. 

The SC is set to hold oral arguments on the petitions on January 16 and 17.  — RSJ, GMA News