Esperon pushes for extension of martial law anew in Mindanao
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2019 13:52:03 +0000
MARTIAL law in Mindanao may be extended again until the end of 2020, said National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Tuesday.
Esperon’s statement comes amid the spate of bombing incidents in Lamitan City, Basilan in 2018 allegedly carried out by a Moroccan; and on the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Jolo, Sulu in January; and the recent suicide attacks on the temporary military headquarters in Indanan, Sulu.
“I’ll go for [another] one year,” Esperon told reporters on the sidelines of the post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) briefing in Quezon City.
“But you know, let us see how we improve by December if needed. Will the people complain about martial law?” he asked.
Esperon also cited the problem the government has with the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in Davao, as well as the groups based in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“We have no problems with the law-abiding citizens so we also must improve deployment of technical equipment,” he said.
The former military chief had been pushing for another martial law extension as early as July, as the military rule would end by the end of the year.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and high-ranking security officials recommended last year the extension of martial law in the region after the Lamitan bombing.
Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao in 2017 following the attack of the Islamic State-inspired Maute group on Marawi City. The President, along with some of his Cabinet members, were in Russia at that time for a state visit.
Even after finishing off the Maute leaders in Marawi City during a five-month siege, security officials still recommended the extension of martial law twice, which the 17th Congress had approved. DEMPSEY REYES
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