Guardians Brotherhood pushes for temporary martial law in Maguindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 25): Guardians Brotherhood pushes for temporary martial law in Maguindanao

The Guardians Brotherhood, Inc. (GBI) Wednesday issued a statement calling for a temporary declaration of Martial Law in Maguindanao province as the country celebrated the 29th EDSA People Power anniversary Wednesday.

GBI OIC national president, Dumaguete-based lawyer Joel Obar, said they were calling on President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to declare a temporary Martial Law in Maguindanao as an option rather than call for his resignation.

Obar clarified that the group was not supporting calls for Aquino to step down from office amidst the controversial Mamasapano clashes last Jan. 25, where 44 members of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police were killed while fighting with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

Also, the Guardians Brotherhood does not support destabilization plots or any mass action against the President.

However, Obar said he believed that Congress and the Filipino people would support a temporary declaration of Martial Law in Maguindanao. Also, they are urging the President to strictly enforce a total gun ban in that Mindanao province.

According to Obar, there is no constitutional basis for the proposed multi-sectoral council to take over the state of government affairs as proposed by the Makabayan Partylist and the national council of clergy.

He said he believed though that the President was the only person who could make amendments or corrections to the missteps in the Mamasapano debacle.

Obar said the brotherhood also supported the continuation of the peace talks but they were seeking for the replacement of government representatives in the panel.

He described the current government representatives as being “eaten up by the system of the MILF”.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=739046