Memorandum Order 32 not a prelude to nationwide martial law — Lorenzana

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday said the public should not speculate that Memorandum Order No. 32 is a prelude to the supposed imminent declaration of a nationwide martial law.

"Hindi... hindi ba nila napapakinggan 'yung sinasabi ni Presidente publicly na hindi siya magde-declare ng nationwide martial law? E 'yun lang ang Mindanao kasi medyo problematic ang security situation dun, baka ipagpatuloy nga 'yun, baka magkaroon ng extension," Lorenzana said in an interview on radio dzRH.

"Walang dapat silang ipag-alala na matakot silang martial law, walang martial law ito," he added.

Lorenzana underscored that Memorandum Order 32, recently signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea following an order from President Rodrigo Duterte, was only limited to suppress "lawless violence and acts of terror" in the Bicol Region, Samar, Negros Oriental, and Negros Occidental.

"'Yung pinupuntirya natin 'yung mga lugar na hanggang ngayon ay namamayagpag pa yung mga teroristang komunista dyan [sa] Bicol, Samar at saka Negros... Mga panay ang sunog ng mga kagamitan na mga construction, ng mga pangingikil nila sa businessmen," he added.

He also dismissed the possibility of adding other regions to the list of the areas covered by the memorandum order should the New People's Army (NPA) escalate its offensive attacks, saying that the communist group was only heavily resistant in the regions mentioned in the order.

Fair and peaceful elections

The national defense chief added that the order to deploy more troops in the aforementioned areas will also help ensure that the upcoming midterm elections will be fair and peaceful.

"Noong nakaraang eleksyon marami tayong narinig na mga sumbong ng mga tao dun na itong NPA ay pinakikialaman din 'yung eleksyon," he said.

"Parang hindi nagkaroon ng patas na labanan dahil nga 'yung kampanya palang ng mga tao, ng mga kandidato eh kinokontrol nila [NPA] ang mga pagpasok sa mga lugar kung 'di sila magbayad at saka marami silang sinuportahang mga kandidato din so ibig sabihin every election was not fair," he added.

On Sunday, Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares urged President Duterte not to use the said memorandum order against the opposition candidates in the 2019 elections.

"It is surprising that the thousands of killings all over the country for two years did not alarm President Duterte, but these suddenly became a cause for concern to him a few months before the 2019 election," Colmenares said.

"We warn President Duterte not to use these repressive powers against the people and the opposition candidates in the coming campaign period," he added. — Dona Magsino/RSJ, GMA News