PHILIPPINE National Police chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa said Wednesday martial law should be extended for another 60 days or the maximum period allowed by law, as the problems caused by Islamic State-inspired terrorists have not yet been fully addressed.
“If the law allows 60 more days, [then it’s] 60 days. If the problem can’t be solved for another 60 more days, then we’ll apply for another extension,” Dela Rosa said in Filipino.
Dela Rosa said even if the Marawi siege is finished in 15 days as President Rodrigo Duterte estimated, the terrorist threat would remain.
“It doesn’t mean that if the Marawi problem gets resolved, the problem on the ISIS militants and the other armed elements will be finished. We still need to fully address these threats,” he said.
“That is when the martial law declaration could help,” Dela Rosa said. “If we can extend it further, we can address the problem of violent extremism led by ISIS-inspired groups.”
Based on a video captured from the terrorists, attacks could also be launched against Iligan and other cities in Mindanao, Dela Rosa said.
“It is difficult to disregard this. We take this information seriously because they have already done this in Marawi, and they can do it elsewhere,” he added.
While he and Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año agreed to recommend an extension of martial law, the parameters would have to be discussed first, he said.
In a separate interview, Dela Rosa said he agreed with Duterte’s assessment that government forces needed 15 more days to liberate Marawi.
“That’s a very good assessment coming from the President,” the PNP chief said, noting that this was based on reports from security officials.
“He’s very much aware of the situation, he’s being briefed every now and then about the situation there so he came up with that assessment,” Dela Rosa said.
On Wednesday, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the President is still “waiting for the full report” of the military and the police, on whether to lift or extend his martial law declaration.
Abella said the full recommendation would come from Defense secretary and martial law administrator Delfin Lorenzana and Año, who is the chief implementor of martial law.
“The President has repeatedly stressed that the Philippines abides by the rule of law, and extending martial law would be based solely on the assessment and recommendation of the military and the police,” Abella said.
Abella said that they are working to immediately restore peace and order in Marawi City.
Any action by the President, he added, would be based on legitimate information from security officials.
At the same time, Abella expressed satisfaction that most Filipinos or 57 percent supported President Duterte’s martial law declaration in Mindanao, based on the latest Social Weather Stations survey.
The same survey showed, however, that 63 percent disagreed with proposals for Duterte to expand martial law to the Visayas, and 67 percent disagreed with any move to expand coverage to Luzon.
On previous occasions, the President has said that he might expand the coverage of his martial law in Luzon and Visayas if the Islamic-inspired terrorists reached the islands.
Lawmakers on Wednesday said the SWS survey was an affirmation of the President’s judgement in suppressing violence in Marawi.
“I think it generally reflect the true sentiments of the people,” said Rep. Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar.
Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano said the President continues to enjoy overwhelming support and trust from the public.
Kabayan Party-List Rep. Harry Roque also said it was no surprise that the public supported Duterte’s moves in Mindanao. “[The] factual basis [for martial law] was seen on television and the internet,” he said.
But ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said the SWS findings were “not surprising, given the long-standing stereotype of Mindanao in many people’s minds as a land wracked by violence.”
“Add to this the deliberate exaggeration of the threat posed by the ASG and Maute groups and playing up of the alleged links to ISIS,” he said.
“The survey also revealed that support for the President’s declaration is mixed, with 40 percent believing that martial law should have been more limited in scope and not cover the entire island,” Tinio added.