MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte said he is about to do “something drastic” in the coming days about the rampant killings in Negros Oriental, which claimed 13 lives.
Duterte on Thursday said he will reveal in the days to come his action on the spate of killings in the Negros Island.
“I will explain in the coming days but I’m about to do something drastic. It will not sit well with everybody, maybe including you but it is needed,” Duterte said.
“You have to help in the maintenance of law and order. Do not limit yourself diyan sa ano. Kulang nga tayo ng tao eh,” Duterte added.
The President’s remark came after Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the former can declare martial law in the Negros Island to quell the “lawless violence in the region.”
“Grabe na ‘yung patayan doon. We have a village, or a barangay captain, a municipal mayor, four policemen, and a lawyer. The President doesn’t want this to happen,” Panelo said.
“He wants it stopped and the only way to do that is to use his emergency powers,” he added. “He has many options under the Constitution. He can call the Armed Forces to quell lawless violence, he can declare martial law.”
“The President can declare martial law only in Negros Oriental because the Constitution says you can declare martial law in the entire country or part thereof,” Panelo said.
Since July 23, at least 13 people were reportedly killed in the different towns and cities in Negros Oriental, including human rights lawyer Anthony Trinidad who was killed by still unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen./PN
Ilan ba namatay sa Negros kumpara sa pinatay ng PNP tapos martial law agad. Drama na naman kayo para maka pag declare ng martial law.