(Eagle News) — For Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., the deployment of additional troops is actually a deterrent to a declaration of martial law.
Locsin made the observation in a Twitter post, responding to Vice President Leni Robredo’s comment the government should ensure that the deployment in Bicol, Samar, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental under Memorandum Order No. 32 would not lead to the declaration.
“Thank you, Ma’am for your understanding. Troop deployment if sufficient will avoid martial law because lawless violence will be contained and hopefully stamped out swiftly and completely so there is no ground for martial law,” Locsin said.
Leftist groups had hit the Palace for issuing the memorandum, saying such a deployment of additional troops was a prelude to martial law.
But the Palace noted the move was made to suppress lawless violence in those areas, noting the Sagay massacre, the attack on police stations, the killings of local government officials, among others.
