Military authorities are grateful to Congress for granting Malacañang’s request for another extension of Mindanao martial law, saying the emergency would enable the military to maintain pressure against the enemies of the state to finally put an end to threats to peace and order there.
AFP spokesman Col. Noel Detoyato told Super Radyo dzBB, in a broadcast beamed nationwide, “We are grateful that [Congress] has heard the voice of the people in Mindanao.”
Another 12 months of martial law in Mindanao “would enable the military and the police to sustain and maintain the pressure para magkaroon ng eventual closure sa peace and order problem,” Detoyato told the network.
Replying to questions, Detoyato said there would be no additional deployment of troops to Mindanao.
He stressed that the emergency had boosted peace and order efforts in Mindanao because it allowed people to obey authorities.
For the third time, Congress last Wednesday approved the request of President Rodrigo Duterte to extend again martial law and the suspension of writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao for one more year.
With a total 235 affirmative votes, 28 negative votes and one abstention, the Senate and the House of Representatives jointly approved the motion of Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya to extend martial rule in Mindanao from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2019.
A total of 12 senators voted to approve Duterte’s request while five senators voted against it and one abstained.
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On the part of the House of Representatives, 223 congressmen voted to extend martial law in Mindanao, 23 voted against it while no one abstained.
Duterte placed the entire island of Mindanao under martial law on May 23 last year after the ISIS-inspired Maute group attacked and destroyed Marawi City.
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