MALACAñANG on Saturday said it was inclined to accept any recommendation coming from the military amid talks on the possible extension of martial law in Mindanao, after indicating that extremist threats still prevailed.
The President, in an interview in Davao City where he is spending the weekend, said “It depends on the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police [if they will recommend it].”
In a radio interview, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said martial law might be necessary since the government still had to spend more time in rehabilitating Marawi City.
While it would still be Duterte’s discretion whether martial rule should be extended or not, the military should know the situation in the area, Padilla said.
“They’re the ones who know what’s best especially when it comes to matters related to national security,” Andanar told state radio Radyo Pilipinas.
“And they all have the reason to give their thoughts,” he added.
“The decision or the recommendation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is actually accepted.”
The Palace official also added the military had valid basis to possibly ask the President to extend martial law, after they admitted that there were still terrorists who remain capable to launch belligerent attacks.
“And they all have the reason to give their thoughts because the most important thing is the security of each Filipino. And in Mindanao, we all know that there are still problems after Maute and Isis have been defeated in Marawi,” he said.
“There is still rehabilitation. There is still clearing operation. There are also other elements, rogue elements in our society we need to closely monitor to prevent violence… But then again, it will be the President who will decide,” he added.
On Friday, Armed Forces spokesperson Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla said there was a possibility that martial law in Mindanao might be extended, should terror groups continue to pose security threats in the embattled region.
“We’re working towards that (lifting of martial law). We’re hoping to be able to address and normalize everything by the end of the year because that was the deadline given to us. But be that as it may, the network of the local terrorist groups still continue and this is the subject of our efforts,” Padilla said in a Palace news briefing Friday.
“So if we are able to address that by the remaining days of November, as well as the whole month of December, we will report that to you and give justification for the lifting of martial law. If not, we will have to request the extension to be able to address the remaining threats in the area,” he added.
In related developments:
• Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate on Saturday expressed his opposition to the possibility of further extending the martial law rule over Mindanao beyond this year.
In his statement on Saturday, Zarate expressed fears over a possible further extension of the martial law rule, which went into effect after the Maute group launched an attack on Marawi City in May that sparked a five-month armed conflict with government forces.
“As can be seen if it is up to the AFP they would place Mindanao and even the whole country under perpetual martial law so that they can operate with impunity. Until now many of those who wished to speak out against what truly happened in Marawi are still afraid from government retaliation,” the Davao-based solon said.
• In Lanao del Sur, military authorities arrested Friday one of the inmates of Marawi City jail freed by Maute terrorists as they captured the city on May 23.
Lt. Col. Ruben Aquino, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Battalion based, identified the recaptured fugitive as Arno Bationg, 40.
He was arrested by Army troops and local police in Barangay Tubok, Malabang town.
Bationg is now undergoing investigation for his alleged involvement in the five-month hostilities.
Col. Gerry Besana, chief of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division Civil Military Operation, said Ationg is believed to have joined the ISIS-inspired group after he and about 100 other inmates were set free by the terrorists.
Maute and Abu Sayyaf gunmen stormed the facility on May 23, disarmed jail guards and allowed inmates to escape, some were convinced to join the terrorist group.
“Bationg could be one of them,” Besana said, adding that he has bullet scars on his right leg.
Army intelligence operatives said Bationg fled from Marawi after he was injured in government operations. With PNA