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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA and PRINCE GOLEZ
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ILOILO City – Congressmen from Iloilo were among the legislators who voted to extend the martial law in Mindanao for a year yesterday.
“We still need military control to rebuild Marawi City,” explained Cong. Richard Garin (1st District, Iloilo)
President Rodrigo Duterte asked Congress to extend the martial law in Mindanao seven months after declaring it in May 23 following clashes between government troops and Maute terrorist group in Marawi City.
“Imposing martial law is part of the process to normalize ang pangabuhi sang tawo didto,” said Garin.
Duterte declared Marawi City to have been freed from the Maute group in October. But the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police recommended a martial law extension, claiming that security threats remain.
Iloilo City’s Cong. Jerry Treñas also voted for an extension.
“Tanan man daw favor man mo,” said Treñas, a lawyer.
He agreed with the police and military that an extension was necessary.
With a vote of 240-27, Congress in a joint session approved President Duterte’s request to extend martial law in Mindanao until Dec. 31, 2018.
Cong. Ferjenel Biron (4th District, Iloilo) said “public safety warrant(ed the) extension.”
Third District’s Cong. Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. also voted for martial law extension.
“Una nila nga rason is biskan natapos na ang Marawi siege, they want to eradicate terrorism and insurgency in Mindanao,” he said.
Critics of martial law cited the absence of an actual armed uprising, a requirement of the Constitution, to warrant an extension. But Defensor said, “You don’t need an official declaration of rebellion because rebellion is a continuing affair.”
Fifth District’s Cong. Raul Tupas and 2nd District’s Cong. Arcadio Gorriceta were not around to vote yesterday.
But according to Tupas he was for the extension. Gorriceta, on the other hand, was on leave.
President Duterte thanked Congress for approving his request.
In a speech at the Philippine Army headquarters in Taguig City during the demilitarization of weapons seized during the Marawi siege, the President admitted that it would be hard for the government to fight rebellion and terrorism in Mindanao without martial law./PN
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