Duterte could order deployment of more troops without MO —Lacson

President Rodrigo Duterte could have called for the deployment of more military troops to Samar, the Negros Island and the Bicol Region even without issuing Memorandum Order No. 32, Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Sunday.

"Even without a memorandum order, ang Presidente naman, even the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, upon the instruction of the President being the commander-in-chief, puwede naman silang mag-deploy talaga, kaya nga tinawag na mobile forces e," Lacson, a former chief of the Philippine National Police, told Super Radyo dzBB in an interview.

"Pwede silang kumuha ng ibang puwersa sa ibang lugar halimbawa sa mga lugar na wala namang masyadong problema para i-redeploy doon sa mga lugar na inakala nila na kailangan ng mas maraming puwersa ng Armed Forces," he added.

Memorandum Order 32 directed the deployment of additional soldiers and policemen to suppress “lawless violence and acts of terror” in the provinces of Samar, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental and the Bicol region —to “prevent such violence from spreading and escalating elsewhere in the country.”

MO No. 32, which Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea signed and issued after an order by the President, also reinforced the guidelines under the state of national emergency, which Duterte declared in September 2016 on the ground of lawless violence —after deadly Davao City bombing .

Lacson said he sees nothing wrong with Duterte using his calling-out powers to address issues of lawless violence in such areas.

He said that under the 1987 Constitution, the President, as commander-in-chief, may call out the Armed Forces of the Philippines to prevent or suppress lawless violence, rebellion or invasion covering the entire or any part of the country.

"Kapag may nakita talagang dahilan, puwede siyang mag-suspend ng writ of habeas corpus at pwede rin siyang magdeklara ng martial law." 

Planning for something?

But Lacson still wonders why did the President issue MO No. 32. 

"Bakit kailangan pa ng MO No. 32 kung hindi naman kailangan yun? Baka naman meron itong papupuntahan na may mga lugar na may plano yung Malacañang na kung hindi man ideklara ng martial law ay mag-suspend ng writ of habeas corpus," he said.

In any case, Lacson said the public should not worry if Duterte suspends the writ of habeas corpus as it only covers those who are "judicially-charged" for rebellion.

"Nandiyan pa rin yung basic rights," he added.

Memorandum Order No. 32 was released a day after Duterte announced that there will be a minor reorganization in the military, citing the death of soldiers in the government’s campaign against lawless elements.

He also made assurances he will not impose a nationwide martial law. —Erwin Colcol/LBG, GMA News