spot_img
25.9 C
Philippines
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Rody wins over Erap, House men

- Advertisement -

HOUSE Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez told critics of President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law to get themselves elected president first.

Martial law declaration is the power that our Constitution bestows [upon] the President of the Philippines,” Alvarrez told a television interview.

He also said the President’s critics must go to Marawi City to personally witness the situation before criticizing Duterte.

I myself am from Mindanao and I know the terrain very well. The President did the right thing and for us to say that emergency powers would have sufficed…we are here in Manila, we are too far from it for us to make such conclusions,” he said.

Alvarez said the President’s declaration was in accordance with the Constitution.

- Advertisement -

He also said that while the violence erupted only in Marawi City, it is necessary to place the entire Mindanao under martial law to allow authorities to pursue terrorists who would likely flee to adjacent areas.

Alvarez also said it was premature to comment on the possibility that the President may eventually decide to expand the proclamation to cover the whole country.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez

Former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said he stood behind Duterte’s declaration of martial law.

‘‘It’s about time terrorism in the region is wiped out,” said Estrada.

‘‘The incident in Marawi, that’s heavy. President Rodrigo Duterte is right in declaring martial law,” Estrada said when asked by reporters about his position.

When asked if he supports the martial law declaration, he said: “Yes. They must finish this. It’s about time.”

He also said he would support the President if he needed to expand the coverage of martial law to the entire country.

Estrada, who declared all-out war on Muslim insurgents when he was president in 2000, said the military should launch a full-blown offensive in Mindanao to flush out the terrorists.

“It’s about time. We only have one flag, one Constitution, one government. Period. The MILF [Moro Islamic Liberation Front], the NPA [New People’s Army], they should be eliminated,” Estrada said.

“We have to follow the law.”

Estrada also hit the critics of Duterte for opposing the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, “They just talk a lot. But they do not do anything,” he said.

But former President Fidel V. Ramos said martial law should have been declared only in parts of Mindanao, and not the entire island.

“I’m not saying President Rodrigo Duterte made a mistake. It is probably the correct solution but for a limited part of Mindanao,” Ramos said in a press briefing. “There are enough peaceful areas there that do not need to be subjected to martial law or martial rule.”

Senators JV Ejercito and Panfilo Lacson, however, said Ramos should just keep quiet and respect Duterte’s decision to declare martial law in Mindanao.

Ejercito said Ramos did not exactly have a very good track record as president. He said the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front became very strong during his administration.

Lacson said he believed the conflict in Mindanao would be easily resolved if people let the President take the appropriate measures instead of criticizing him without knowing the facts and the developments obtaining on the ground.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said the minority bloc would raise concerns about the proclamation, describing the move as “extreme” when only one city was under attack.

She added that they will also ask why martial law seemed to be the “default” choice for the President.

But Senator Manny Pacquiao supported the declaration of martial law, calling it “timely and necessary” following the attacks in Marawi City.

“The declaration of martial law is just a temporary yet decisive measure to protect the people, to prevent any further loss of lives and to suppress lawless violence,” Pacquiao said.

“Now is not the time for us to be divided as a nation. Let us understand that the President makes this tough decision with the welfare of the people in mind,” he added.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles