(Eagle News) — Senator Kiko Pangilinan on Tuesday, Dec. 4, urged the military to back up its recommendation to extend martial law in Mindanao for a third time with “hard and justifiable facts,” even as he expressed fears about such an extension in the first place.
In a statement, Pangilinan said prolonging martial law in Mindanao for a third time could “affect the campaigning of opposition candidates and those not allied with the administration.”
He added the “extension itself is a manifestation of martial law’s failure in the region” because “the military might could never solve the people’s woes deeply rooted in poverty, lack of jobs, absence of basic services.”
“As it is, what we are hearing and seeing are facts and records from people’s organizations of intimidation and harassment by state forces and paramilitary groups,” he said.
“The extension was and continues to be in violation of the Constitution. Martial law is an extreme measure to be imposed only in exceptional cases when there is actual rebellion or invasion and only for a very limited period,” he added.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had said he would back the recommendation of the military to extend martial law for a third time in Mindanao after it lapses in December.
President Rodrigo Duterte said there was still no decision on the same, but Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the chief executive would most likely support the recommendation of government security forces on the ground.
President Duterte first imposed martial law in Mindanao after Maute terrorists overran Marawi in May 2017.
