One month of martial law. And its a success!! Break out the beer and lechon!
Malacañang on Friday said President Rodrigo Duterte's declaration of martial law in Mindanao has succeeded in preventing the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) from establishing a base in the Philippines, even as government troops continued to battle the group’s sympathizers in Marawi City.
“We don’t go by ratings, but we do say we actually preempted the establishment of a wilayat (Islamic State province) [in Mindanao],” Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a press briefing in Davao City.
Yeah!! What do you think of that naysayers?? Martial law has been a success and soon everything will be back to normal and we won't need martial law.
Officials, however, still could not say when the president would lift the declaration, which some sectors fear, would embolden the military to commit human rights abuses and to suppress civil liberties.
Abella, however, did not directly answer if the government would revoke or extend military rule once it reached its two-month effectively period next month, saying the decision would depend on military advice.
Well let's just wait and see. Only four more weeks until martial law phase one ends. If phase two does occur will Duterte be apologetic?
Didn't have any choice? The AFP said they had everything under control. Maybe you can't really trust what the AFP says. They haven't met any self-imposed deadlines for clearing Marawi of terrorists. They have had a tank stolen. And they don't even have proper equipment. They have to reinforce their tanks with wood to protect them from antitank RPGs!
Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, spokesperson of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, said tank commanders had decided to cover armored vehicles with planks of wood for added protection against fighters belonging to the Abu Sayyaf, Maute group and their allies.
The wood serves to disperse the impact of an antitank warhead before it hits the steel shell of an armored personnel carrier (APC) or a tank.
“Our commanders took the initiative to innovate and ordered that all armored vehicles be reinforced with additional protection so it can withstand the antiarmor capability of the enemy,” he said.
Why doesn't the AFP have proper armour on their tanks? There is a time and place for "Pinoy innovation" and it's not the battlefield. Why don't they have proper equipment?
In a report by GMA News' Emil Sumangil on "24 Oras" on Friday, soldiers used cartons and thick planks of wood against the the rocket propelled grenade (RPG) or the shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon of Maute group members.
The military said the same improvised equipment was used during the all-out war in year 2000.
Ah, ok. It's just military strategy. Imagine how much more successful their strategy would be if they had actual equipment and did not have to improvise the same way they have been doing for the past seventeen years! (Seventeen years and they can't get proper equipment??)
Will Australian spy planes even make a difference if they don't have good equipment on the ground?
Part of the reason martial law has been declared a success is because the terrorists have been contained and fighting has not spilled over into the surrounding areas.
Duterte is marked for death. Davao is targeted next. Maute and BIFF are likely working together. And the President says prepare for ISIS retaliation and more bombings in Mindanao. If that's success I don't want to know what failure is.
Retired police officer Rodolfo “Boogie” Mendoza, who is now the president of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence, and Terrorism Research, doesn’t see any end soon to the conflict in Marawi City.
(We haven’t seen if there would be any rapid conclusion because it’s only been a month, the campaign isn’t over yet, so the effectivity can only be measured if there’s broad support from the people of Mindanao.)
Opposition lawmaker Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, who has asked the Supreme Court to nullify the martial law declaration in Mindanao, said military rule made things worse.
“There is extreme misery and horrific conditions particularly in Marawi because of the extensive inordinate show of might of the military, the police authorities, which has really displaced tens of thousands of civilians not to mention destruction of private public properties and loss of lives,” he said.
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, an administration ally who was part of a recent humanitarian mission to Mindanao, is among those who have called for a congressional investigation on the plight of the evacuees and those displaced by martial law. “There is now a grave humanitarian crisis in Marawi and Lanao del Sur,” he said.
Mendoza said the goal of containing terrorism in the area has yet to be achieved.
“There is extreme misery and horrific conditions particularly in Marawi" so what better thing to do than have a ceasefire for the Muslim celebration of Eid'l Fitr. Give everyone a few hours of non-misery.
Nothing lasts forever though.
Back to the battlefield boys. Cry havoc! and let slip the dogs of war. Give 'em hell! You few, you happy few, you band of brothers—for whoever sheds his blood with you shall be your brother.
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