(Eagle News) — Senator Richard Gordon has said he was likely to support a third extension of martial law in Mindanao after the military gave senators updates on the situation there in an executive session.
According to Gordon, in the first place, he wants to ensure the complete rehabilitation of Marawi, which was overran by terrorists in May last year.
“I don’t hear an outcry in Mindanao na nahihirapan kami diyan. In fact, sabi nga ng mga kaibigan ko doon, ‘ok sa ‘min yan. Mas safe kami diyan. May checkpoint, may nakikita kaming nagbabantay,'” Gordon said.
According to Gordon, his “only disappointment” was that some rebellious groups continued to exist in the region.
Gordon reminded government security forces to come up with a “grand plan” to do away with those groups.
“…Eh bakit nakakapangulimbat pa yang Abu Sayyaf at meron pang naiipit sa cross fire yun mga lumads? Yun ang disappointment ko. Dapat talaga may grand plan ang military na matapos ang problemang yan,” he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte first sought the imposition of martial law in Mindanao after the siege in Marawi.
Martial law in Mindanao is set to lapse in December this year.
