THE military on Monday shot down a proposal by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to extend President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao up until 2022, saying that five years might be too long.
In a Palace news briefing, Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said there should be an “intelligent basis” for any proposals to extend or lift Duterte’s martial law proclamation, which will expire on July 22.
Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella also reiterated that the move to extend Duterte’s martial law declaration “would rest on the assessment and the recommendation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines [AFP], the Philippine National Police [PNP] and other stakeholders of the Marawi situation.”
He added that the proposal to extend martial law for five years was Alvarez’s “personal opinion.”
On Saturday, Alvarez suggested for martial law in Mindanao shoult be extended until 2022 or until President Rodrigo Duterte steps down, saying that this would give the President more time to quell the over 40 years of rebellion and armed conflict in Mindanao.
The military is set to hand over its assessment on the implementation of martial law to Duterte as early as this week, before the President makes his second State-of-the-Nation Address.
Both Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año and Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa had said they would recommend an extension of martial law if the Marawi crisis remained unresolved.
Padilla said that while he does not have any idea on why Alvarez would make such proposal, the military could only make recommendations as far as martial law is concerned.
The final decision on martial law still rests on political leaders like Alvarez, the military spokesperson added.
Padilla said the 80 to 100 terrorists who are holding out in Marawi posed a significant threat to the security situation in Mindanao.
“Inside Marawi, ground commanders estimated, there are about 80 to 100 [terrorists] still remaining in the areas that we are addressing right now … They are not groups anymore, they are just individuals or small groups, but still the threat that they pose is clear and present,” he said.
Padilla maintained that the military still must assess whether it has accomplished the orders given to troops when martial law was proclaimed.
“Our primary basis is whether or not we have accomplished the operational directives given to us at the very beginning of martial law,” said Padilla.
Duterte himself on Friday last week said the situation in the besieged city of Marawi remains “critical,” as he hinted that he might not lift his declaration of martial law in Mindanao before his second State-of- the-Nation Address on July 24, or two days after the constitutionally mandated 60-day limit for military rule ends on July 22.
Communist rebels, meanwhile, warned they would intensify attacks on the government if Duterte extends martial law.
“If Duterte continues along the path to attain his ambitions of becoming a strongman, he is bound to be confronted and opposed by a broad united front of forces who are against the return of martial law,” the Communist Party of the Philippines said in a statement.
“The Red fighters of the NPA must firmly grasp their weapons, confront the fascists in the battlefield, wage guerrilla warfare intensively and extensively, further deepen and expand the people’s support and carry forward the people’s war to ever greater heights,” the group added.
The CPP also said that Duterte was speaking with a “forked tongue” to lay the basis “for nationwide martial law, which will further aggravate the campaign of murder and brutalities under his strongman rule.”
“He feigns confusion why the NPA continues to carry out attacks when he has not ordered any letup in the armed offensives of the AFP against the NPA and the people,” the CPP added.
The communists made these pronouncements after Duterte said he would refuse to resume peace talks with them until they stop extorting businesses by collecting “revolutionary taxes.”
The CPP accused Duterte of crying “crocodile tears” when he talked about the grave sufferings and hardships of the people in Marawi City, despite his orders to pound their homes with relentless aerial bombardment in the name of “driving away the terrorists.”
“To justify martial law in Mindanao and make him look like a valiant hero, Duterte contrived a demon in what he claims was a rebellion by the “Maute-ISIS” group without even offering clear and solid evidence. To justify imposing martial law nationwide, he will have to come up with a bigger demon.”
Alvarez on Monday said the House will throw its support behind Duterte if he asks for an extension of martial law.
“We will support if the President decides so,” Alvarez said about an extension of military rule.
Kabayan party-list Rep. Harry Roque, meanwhile, said the State-of-the-Nation Address would be an opportune occasion for the President to seek an extension, even though this is two days after military rule lapses.
Also on Monday, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III dismissed Alvarez’s proposal to extend martial law by five years to 2022.
“That sends a message that rebellion is still there,” said Pimentel, president of the PDP-Laban.
“The request for an extension should come from the President,” Pimentel said.
Senator Francis Escudero agreed, saying only the President can seek an extension. With Maricel V. Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta
