Sara Duterte says Palace, AFP, PNP know best whether to extend martial law in Mindanao

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said Wednesday she would defer to Malacañang and security officials on the possible extension of martial law in Mindanao.

"We follow the decision of the OP [Office of the President], AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines], and PNP [Philippine National Police] because they are better informed by the intelligence units on the need to extend martial law in Mindanao," the mayor said.

Sara gave the reaction after Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea admitted that extending martial law, which has been in place since May 2017, may be an option following the deadly bombing in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat on Tuesday night.

Medialdea said the incident only showed that terrorist groups are very much present in Mindanao.

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

Sara's father, President Rodrigo Duterte, used this power in quelling rebellion in Mindanao last year by extremist groups accused of plotting a caliphate for international terror group ISIS.

The martial law in Mindanao would remain in effect until the end of this year. —NB/MDM, GMA News