AFP to give martial law assessment as early as next week

The Armed Forces of the Philippines will hand its assessment on the Mindanao martial law next week at the earliest.

In an interview with reporters after the Mindanao Hour briefing in Malacañang on Friday, military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said President Rodrigo Duterte could expect the assessment before the martial law implementation expires on July 22. 

"Tungkol sa rekomendasyon kung papaliwgin ba o irerekomenda na ihinto na ang pagpapatupad ng martial law, hindi pa tapos ang assessment. Kinakailangan may batayan ito bago isulong yung rekomendasyon na iyun sa ating commander-in-chief," Padilla said.

"At iyong pag-asses na ito at pag-aaral na ito ay kasalukuyang pa lang ginagawa. So maaring ibigay ito sa susunod na linggo o bago matapos iyong takdang panahon ng 60 days," he added.

Duterte signed Proclamation No. 216 on May 23 while he was on an official visit in Moscow, Russia. He declared martial law and suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao after the ISIS-inspired Maute group attacked Marawi City also on the same day.

On Tuesday, Duterte scored a legal victory after the Supreme Court, voting 11-3-1, upheld the constitutionality of martial law after it received at least five petitions questioning Proclamation No. 216.

As of July 6 at 6 p.m., at least 39 civilians were killed by the terrorists. The militants, meanwhile, lost 353 fighters, and the government lost 87 of its security personnel. — Trisha Macas/RSJ, GMA News