Extension or lifting? Fate of martial law known in October, says Lorenzana

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana will likely recommend either the continuation or the lifting of martial law in Mindanao in October.

"We will be making the recommendation soon. Siguro some time in October mag-recommend kami," the administrator of martial law told reporters in an ambush interview at the House of Representatives.

"Hindi ko pa alam kung lifting o continue," he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte on May 23 placed the entire island of Mindanao under martial law after the ISIS-inspired Maute Group attacked Marawi City. It was good to last for 60 days.

Congress, in a joint special session, extended the proclamation of martial law in Mindanao until December 31 this year.

Lorenzana said the DND would only make a recommendation after the ongoing crisis in Marawi had been resolved.

He said the end of the crisis in Marawi was possible by the end of the month.

"Tapusin muna natin yung problema sa Marawi, then we will assess the situation in the whole of Mindanao. Siguro it would take us a couple of weeks," Lorenzana said.

Lorenzana said Duterte would not have a hard time deciding to lift or extend the martial rule. He said the President was receives regular updates on the situation in Marawi City.

"The decision-making of the President is simple naman e. Most of the time, his mind is already made up and he will just get confirmation from us. So this decision to lift martial law earlier, or wait until naubos na hanggang 31 of December, rests solely on the President," he said.

"The President knows what's going on in the ground, we brief him everyday, he knows what's happening in Mindanao and ARMM. So the decision will be very easy for him," he added.

At the same time, Lorenzana said the rehabilitation process in Marawi City would start "any time soon."  —NB, GMA News