(Eagle News) – “Martial law in Mindanao should not be lifted.”
The chairman of the crisis committee in Marawi City, Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong, made this clear in a phone patch interview over Net 25’s Agila Balita on Thursday, May 24, amid calls from human rights groups for the declaration to be lifted.
The calls made by groups such as Karapatan were made a year after Marawi City was attacked by members of Maute and Abu Sayyaf who wanted to establish an Islamic State caliphate.
“Wala naman po tayong nakikitang major reason kung bakit natin ipatitigil. Sa amin sa probinsya, nakatulong po ito. Hindi naging sagabal sa aming pamumuhay, hindi naging sagabal sa rehabilitasyon,” Adiong said.
According to Adiong, “ultimately hindi po ito nakasagabal doon sa attempt na masecure yung security at mahuli yung mga nagparticipate sa giyera na sumira sa aming tahanan at mga negosyo.”
Earlier, the Palace said martial law in Mindanao would stay.
“Wala pong gusto na magkaroon ng martial law beyond the necessity of having martial law so the Palace would like to assure the public that the moment the need for martial law ceases it will be lifted. But certainly one year after the siege, the time to lift martial law is not yet here. It will be lifted as long as there is no need for martial law,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque had said.