Philippines: Duterte wants martial law extended until end-2017 – 18 Jul 2017

  • President Rodrigo Duterte will be asking Congress to prolong the effectivity of martial law in Mindanao until the end of 2017.
  • Ernesto Abella, Duterte’s spokesperson, suggested on 18 Jul 17 that both the Department of National Defense and the Philippine National Police recommended the extension of martial law on the country’s second southern island amid the continuing fighting between government forces and Islamic State sympathizers in Marawi City.
  • The two security agencies “have come to the conclusion that the existing rebellion in Mindanao cannot be quelled completely by 22 Jul 17,” Abella said at a news briefing at Malacañan on 18 Jul 17, reading Duterte’s letter to Congress.
  • “For this reason, because public safety requires it, I call upon the Congress to extend until 31 Dec 17 or for such a period of time that Congress may determine the proclamation of martial law and the suspension of privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the whole of Mindanao,” he continued.
  • On 17 Jul 17, House of Representatives majority leader Rodolfo Fariñas said that Duterte would call Congress to a special session to consider the extension of military rule in Mindanao.
  • The declaration met a challenge before the Supreme Court, where the majority of magistrates eventually ruled in favor of the government and upheld the president’s jurisdiction in imposing martial law despite factual questions.

External Link : http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/07/18/1720771/duterte-wants-martial-law-extended-until-years-end

18-Jul-2017