Duterte asks Senate, House to further extend martial law in Mindanao

The government cannot afford to give the rebels “any further breathing room to regroup and strengthen forces,” President Rodrigo Duterte said as he implored Congress to further extend martial law in Mindanao.

In a five-page letter addressed to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo dated December 6, Duterte said significant progress in putting the rebellion under control has been achieved during the implementation of martial law in the region.

He also said it ushered substantial economic gains in Mindanao.

Duterte said that among the accomplishments reported to him by outgoing Armed Forces chief of staff and martial law implementor General Carlito Galvez, Jr. and Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde is the reduction of the capabilities of different terrorist groups.

The President said that 685 members of local terrorist groups and 1,073 members of communist terrorist group were neutralized; seven guerilla fronts were dismantled while 19 others were weakened; and more than 8,000 loose firearms were surrendered from January to November 2018.

In his letter, Duterte added that the atrocities committed by the communist terror groups were reduced by 19 percent in 2018 from the previous year; terrorist acts committed by local terror groups were reduced by 29 percent; and that crime incidents Cotabato City was reduced by 51 percent and in Maguindanao by 38 percent.

“All of these gains in security and peace and order have resulted in remarkable economic gains in Mindanao. In fact, private sectors, local and regional peace and order councils, and local government units in Mindanao are now also clamoring for a further extension of the subject proclamation and suspension,” said Duterte.

'Rebellion persists'

Despite the gains, the President said, the security assessment submitted by the AFP and PNP highlights “certain essential facts which indicate that rebellion still persists in Mindanao and that public safety requires the continuation of martial law in the whole of Mindanao.”

Duterte said that the Abu Sayyaf group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, Daulah Islamiyah, and other terrorist groups  continue to defy the government by perpetrating hostile activities.

He said at least four bombings or improvised explosive device (IED) explosions have happened in the region, including the Lamitan City incident on July 31 which killed 11 and wounded 10 others; the explosion during a festival in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat on August 28; and the September 2 blast which killed five and wounded 45 others, also in Isulan.

He added that while the government was preoccupied in addressing terror groups, the communist groups took advantage of the situation and conducted 342 incidents, ranging from harassments against government installations, liquidation operations, and arson attacks.

Duterte said that 23 recorded incidents of arson resulted in P156 million in property damage.

He said 87 military personnel were killed in the atrocities while 408 others were wounded.

He further said Abu Sayyaf factions in Sulu continue their kidnapping-for-ransom activities.

“The foregoing merely illustrates in general terms the continuing rebellion in Mindanao. I will be submitting a mere detailed report on the subsisting rebellion in the next few days,” he said.

The President said the extension of martial law will enable the AFP, PNP, and other law enforcement agencies to finally put an end to the ongoing rebellion in Mindanao and continue to prevent the same from escalating in other parts of the country.

“We cannot afford to give the rebels any further breathing room to regroup and strengthen their forces Public safety requires such further extension in order to avoid the further loss of lives and physical harm, not only to our soldiers and the police, but also to our civilians,” he said.

“Such extension will also enable the government and the people of Mindanao to sustain the gains we have achieved thus far, ensure the complete rehabilitation of the most affected areas therein, and preserve the socioeconomic growth and development now happening in Mindanao,” he added. 

Duterte imposed martial law in Mindanao on May 23, 2017, the same day the Maute group began its attack on Lanao del Sur's capital city Marawi. The state of martial law in the region was then only supposed to last for 60 days.

On July 22, 2017, the day before martial law in the region was supposed to be lifted, Congress voted to extend it instead until the end of 2017. 

On December 13, 2017, Congress approved the President's request to extend martial law in Mindanao a second time, this time until December 31, 2018. — BM, GMA News