Duterte to deploy more troops to Negros, but won't declare martial law

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday announced plans to deploy additional soldiers to Negros to address the law and order situation there.

Duterte clarified that he had no plans to declare martial law when he said last week that he would do something “drastic” that may not sit well with most Filipinos.

“You have a ruckus there in Negros. Ang sinabi kong drastic action was that punuin ko ng sundalo just like Jolo. I have one division tapos magpadala pa ako ng dagdag,” the President in a speech before newly elected officers of the League of Cities of the Philippines and Liga ng mga Barangay in Malacañang.

“You know, life is not really that good, that comfortable, especially with so many military around and so many checkpoints.”

He said there will never be a time that he will declare martial law in other parts of the country.

“Now, if it is really something which gumaganun ang bayan, well I might declare another thing. And that is for you to guess what would it be,” Duterte said.

“Let us make it clear. I will never declare martial law. Except in Mindanao, talagang kailangan, because there was already a rebellion.”

At least 20 people were reported killed in Negros Oriental over the past weeks including a lawyer, public school officials, a rebel returnee, and police intelligence officers who were allegedly summarily executed by communists rebels.

Duterte had also lamented the fatal shooting of nine sugar farmers in Sagay City, Negros Occidental in October last year. The president had linked the rebels to the murders of sugar farmers, saying it was the “style” of the New People’s Army to kill their own members and put the blame on the government.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the President is empowered to declare martial law in times of invasion and rebellion when the public safety requires it.

Duterte used this power in 2017 in quelling rebellion in Mindanao by extremist groups accused of plotting a caliphate for international terror group ISIS. 

Initially valid for only 60 days, Congress, upon the request of the President, approved the extension of martial law in the region thrice, and is due to end on December 31 this year. — RSJ, GMA News