Finally the AFP and the PNP have made public their recommendation for extending martial law in Mindanao.
Another year under martial law looms in Mindanao as the police and the military as well as local government units have recommended to President Duterte that it be kept in force in view of what they considered persistent terror threats.
For field commanders, the prevailing security development on the ground was still a cause for concern despite the liberation of Marawi City, the source said.
“Our field military commanders declared that without martial law, government forces will be facing legal challenges in running after these terrorists and their supporters,” the source said.
With Mindanao still under martial law, the writ of habeas corpus will remain suspended to allow security forces to arrest suspected terrorists and their backers or sympathizers even without warrant.
A stunning admission from the PNP and AFP that the Philippines, especially Mindanao, is not safe.. Persistent terror threats? Prevailing security developments a cause for concern? Those fears are a contradiction of government pronouncements declaring the Philippines safe. Why does the AFP and PNP think they need habeas corpus suspended to arrest terrorists? What about probable cause? If you are in Mindanao and you belong to a terror group like BIFF, MILF, MNLF, Abu Sayyaf or any of the many others or if you are spotted with heavy military grade weapons that should be enough probable cause for your arrest. The PNP is corrupt enough they could make up any charge to justify it. This excuse that they need to suspend habeas corpus to fight terrorism is balderdash. Ten years of marital law under Marcos and terrorist groups are as numerous as ever.
Extending marital law because there are continuing threats also has no sound legal basis.
He stressed that martial law can only be declared and its extension authorized in “case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it.”
Lagman argued that "there is neither actual invasion or rebellion in Mindanao after Marawi City was declared by President Rodrigo Duterte as liberated from rebel and terrorist forces almost two months ago."
Representative Lagman is not thinking like Duterte. Yes there is no actual rebellion or invasion but the safety of the public has been at risk for decades and this is the route Duterte will take to justify an extension of martial law. But this begs the question: "If the security situation in Mindanao is putting the public safety at risk why hasn't martial law been implemented in Mindanao all this time?" Abu Sayyaf kidnappings and beheadings, BIFF bombings, MILF ambushes, rido killings, clan disputes, the whole region is overflowing with violence and everyone who lives there is a potential victim. Mindanao residents allegedly claim they want martial law because it makes them feel safer. So why no martial law before in light of these continuing threats?
The nebulous phrase "when the public safety requires it" will be easily exploitable by Duterte and his yes men. You oppose marital law? Then you don't care about the public safety.
The darker days referred to in this article is that declaring the CPP-NPA a terrorist group will result in human rights abuses. What a load of tripe. The real darker days to come is the bloodshed and war which will spread across the nation. The NPA is not limited to Mindanao. They are on every island and in every province. Let's think like Duterte: the NPA represents a threat to public safety, therefore martial law must be declared nationwide since "the public safety requires it."
Police in Region-7 have advised tourists to shorten their trips to Negros Oriental owing to “problems” involving armed rebels.
“Here in the police department, we learned that it is safe for tourist to come to Cebu and the police assured us that security is guaranteed. We are told that there aren’t many problems with Belgian tourists and it’s pretty safe, it’s very good here,” Goffin said.
Those are the first and last paragraphs of that article. See the cognitive dissonance? Shorten your trip to Negros Oriental because of the rebels but it's safe and security is guaranteed in Cebu which is in Negros Oriental. It's safe to say the the Philippines is unsafe which is why the AFP is going to war the the NPA.
It will come down to this: opposition to martial law is siding with the terrorists. One wonders why the fact that Duterte is so eager to give MILF and MNLF a huge chunk of Mindanao for their very own Islamic State does not count as siding with the terrorists.
“The United Nations country team in the Philippines welcomes this important milestone achieved by the MILF, in demonstrating its commitment to the protection and welfare of children,” the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines, Mr. Ola Almgren, shared in his message.
“We congratulate the MILF as they reach this important milestone. Children are zones of peace and their rights must be promoted and protected at all times. Unicef’s support to the MILF continues to ensure that disengaged children and their communities live in safe environments, by facilitating access to psychosocial support and other protection, social welfare, education and health services. In addition, Unicef supports parents in providing family based guidance and care,” Unicef Philippines Representative, Officer-in-Charge, Julia Rees says.
Children are zones of peace? You know what would really prove the MILF's commitment to the safety and welfare of children? Throwing down their arms and immediately ceasing all terrorist activity. That's right. TERRORIST ACTIVITY. Yet to hear the government and MILF talk, this group, because it has entered into negotiations with the government and has helped root out its rival, BIFF, is not a terrorist group.
Rashid Ladiasan, chairman of the MILF’s Committee on Cessation of Hostilities, denied the accusation that the group are terrorists.
“We are not terrorists—(we) the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front). We’ve been fighting terrorism in all forms through the peace process,” he said Tuesday, in response to Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
“We even provided places and cooperation with the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines to allow the peace process to undertake its course. We’ve been doing all of these,” Ladiasan has said.
The above pronouncement was made during the Aquino administration shortly after they butchered the SAF 44. Duterte is following the same game plan as Aquino when it comes to this group and the MNLF so those who talk about LP, Yellowtard, Yellow cult destabilisers are not paying attention. They are both working with terrorists. The only difference is that Duterte is not weak and indecisive like Aquino but is doing all he can to push his agenda through which includes martial law and revolutionary government with the alleged goals of enacting federalism, writing a new conitution, and ending terrorism and the drug problem.
The military is closely monitoring reports of a tactical alliance between communist rebels and the extremist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
Military and defense sources disclosed the BIFF and the communist New People’s Army (NPA) have forged an alliance in their planned offensive against the government.
Sources, however, stressed the report of the tactical alliance needs further validation.
A security official, on the other hand, said Islamic militants and the NPA are known have maintained an unholy alliance despite their differing religious and political beliefs.
“We are still verifying this but there is logic to the report because it’s normal either for the BIFF terrorists and also the NPAs to look for an ally to avoid a repeat of what happened to the Mautes in Marawi. If true, then I think it’s going to be just a marriage of convenience for the moment,” one of the sources said.
People are going
to
read that and be scared out of their mind thinking it's true when such an alliance has not even been verified. But
that's how you do it. You keep the people afraid by sowing disinformation and peppering your reports and speeches with maybe, reportedly, allegedly, we are looking into it, it makes sense if it were to happen, etc. and the people will fall right into your lap so that you can do anything.
“(The President’s) paramount concern is the security of our people especially the Mindanaoans in the face of threats and the use of available means under the law to fight them,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.
There are only a few days left in the year for Congress to decide upon an extension.
I say unto them: "That thou doest, do quickly."
