I never once doubted the legality of President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to place Mindanao under martial law through Proclamation 216.
The siege of Marawi City by the combined forces of the Maute Group, the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters was not just an attack on a city. It is rebellion that could make Mindanao a caliphate of the IS in this part of the world.
It is rebellion that could certainly spread to the rest of Mindanao. It can seriously affect public safety, as defined under Article VII, Section 18 of the 1987 Cory Constitution.
When the critics of President Duterte filed petitions against the proclamation, they obviously did not realize what was happening on the ground.
It is so obvious that their opposition to martial law is political!
Clearly, the 11 justices realized the extent of the terror threat especially if the terrorists make Marawi a caliphate.
I cannot imagine to what extent the terrorists can go now, with their terror cells spread over the country.
Will we suffer the same fate as Syria and Iraq?
My family and I went through the horrifying years of the Japanese occupation. I do not want to experience that ever again.
Ask Mindanaoans if they support martial law and I am sure they will say yes. It is aimed at protecting them from terrorists.
There have been reports of decapitated civilian hostages in Marawi. If nothing is done about this, the entire country can be a terror hub!
It is said that the Marawi siege is just a test run for the IS-inspired terrorists. I can believe that. This is why I believe President Duterte should extend martial law for another 60 days.
I have been told that during a closed-door executive session, the Supreme Court justices were given a briefing by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other security advisers. This proved to be the turning point—the justices realized the danger the country is actually facing.
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Did I hear it right—that there would be peace talks anew between the government and the communist insurgents?
Obviously, the Duterte administration has not learned that it is impossible to talk peace with double-faced peace negotiators. They say one thing and do another.
The government panel has not learned from the past. Can they not see that it is impossible to talk peace with people who are not sincere?
Why negotiate with the NDFP when they no longer control the New People’s Army?
I doubt the next round of talks would achieve anything.
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The Supreme Court supports the stand of the Court of Appeals ordering the release of the Ilocos 6 through a habeas corpus petition. House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez is defying the appellate court despite strong support from Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. What will happen next?
Any right-thinking man would bow to the rule of law. So why is Alvarez threatening to abolish the CA? Is he ready to defy the Supreme Court as well?
Alvarez has become more popish than the pope himself.
My gulay, even President Duterte says he respects the rule of law!
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I believe in checks and balance. But when somebody like Senator Antonio Trillanes, a staunch critic of the President, calls his colleagues cowards, lapdogs and puppets, that’s just too much.
I have seen critics and opponents of administrations, and I respect and admire them. But not Trillanes, who is destroying the very institution he belongs to.
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Every now and then, the two giant broadcast networks come out with figures on viewership. The Lopez-controlled ABS-CBN claims it is leading with the findings of Kantar Media. Meanwhile, GMA-7 leads according to Nielsen.
I tend to believe GMA-7. Nielsen is a respected institution. Its survey respondents are more statistically representative of the population.
Another thing is that ABS-CBN is biased in favor of the oligarchy it represents.
