Martial law in Negros? Duterte didn't mention anything —Albayalde

President Rodrigo Duterte never mentioned putting Negros Oriental under martial law amid the recent spate of killings there, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Oscar Albayalde said Monday.

At a press conference, Albayalde said Duterte only ordered security officials to end insurgency in the area.

“So far, wala namang sinasabi ang Presidente patungkol doon (martial law),"  he said. "The President is being briefed naman, wala naman siyang mga instruction na ganoon."

"Ang instruction niya is to finish the problem of insurgency," Albayalde added.

Albayalde stressed that the violence is only "confined in an area" and has not spread to the entire province.

"But we all know for a fact, meron talaga tayong matagal na na problema ng insurgency doon," he said.

Albayalde's statement came amid Bagong Alyansang Makabayan claimed that the killings would be used as a pretext to declare martial law in Negros Oriental.

The PNP chief has ordered for the deployment of more than 300 troops from the Special Action Force to help the local police and the military there in securing the area.

Twenty people were reported killed in the province in the past few days including four police intelligence officers who were allegedly summarily executed by communists rebels.  —KBK, GMA News