From the Philippine Star (Dec 4, 2019): Lorenzana recommends no further extension of martial law in Mindanao
MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday said he submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte his recommendation to no longer put all of Mindanao under martial law in 2020.
The region has been under martial law since May 2017.
A News5 report quoted Lorenzana as saying that “it’s time to go back to normal.”
The recommendation to no longer extend martial law in Mindanao was based on the assessment of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, the report added.
Congress readily agreed to extend martial law in the region three times. The latest extension is until December 31.
The Defense chief last month said that martial law in Mindanao “has been too long.”
"We can do our job especially if the Senate or Congress can pass the Human Security Act to strengthen our law enforcement. That's a better arrangement than the martial law," Lorenzana said then.
RELATED: PNP backs lifting of martial law in Mindanao
President Rodrigo Duterte first placed Mindanao under martial law through Proclamation No. 216, which was issued in response to clashes in Marawi Citu between government forces enforcing the arrest of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon.
He has since extended the martial law rule in the region three times.
RELATED: Duterte is open to Mindanao martial law extension. Is that an effective response vs terrorism?
All extensions were approved by both chambers of the Congress, while the Supreme Court upheld the legality and factual bases of Duterte’s martial law declaration and its subsequent extensions.
Last July, the president said he would not hesitate to extend the declaration again if security officials will recommend it.
“If the local government unit, the governors, mayors and even the congressmen would find that it could be in the best interest of the Filipinos in Mindanao, I would not hesitate to say yes,” Duterte said.
Martial law was welcomed by business groups and local officials, who said it would make the region more stable and attractive to investors. Human rights groups claim, however, that martial law has led to abuses in Mindanao, parts of which have had a heavy military presence even before the declaration.
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