Duterte says 5-month martial law extension for rehabilitation, mopping up operations
President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday he was asking Congress for a five-month extension of martial law to conduct rehabilitation and mopping up operations not only in Marawi City but in other areas contaminated by the ideology of the Islamic State.
In an interview with reporters in Davao City where he spoke a business forum, Duterte said extension of martial law declaration and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus until December 31 this year was the recommendation of the security officials.
"That's theirs (military and police)," he said when asked who proposed the five-month martial law extension.
Duterte, in his speech, said it has been taking long for soldiers to clear Marawi of terrorists because of 300 civilian hostages.
"One thing that's stopping us now is the mosque. It's a big one. It has underground tunnels but not so much about that. But they (terrorists) have 300 hostages," he said.
He said he ordered the military not to assault because the hostages might be beheaded.
"That's 300 lives. If we have to wait there for one year, let us wait for one year. But I said give them food, because there are people hungry there. But don't give bullets, just food," he added.
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said the military is proceeding to take three remaining barangays from the terrorists, but it still involves about 49 hectares of land. There are 96 total barangays in Marawi City.
The Maute terrorists attacked and started occupying Marawi on May 23, prompting Duterte to declare martial law in the whole of Mindanao for 60 days until July 22.
With the expiration of the 60-day period Saturday, Duterte has asked Congress to extend it until end of the year. Congress is set to hold a special session on Saturday to discuss martial law extension
He explained the government has to rehabilitate Marawi.
"Then again, the retaliation. You know, every space in Mindanao, there are always Moro and a Christian. The contamination of the ideology, with the dead people that they saw, (this) might spur others just to do the same," he said when asked why he wants Congress to prolong martial law for about five more months.
"Mindanao specifically is a land of the mixed. That's why I'm not complacent because there will be be mopping up operations," he said, citing that the boundaries in Mindanao are very porous.
"Whether you can go to Zamboanga and to Jolo and Basilan, and in the rest, even in Davao...so, it's our way of, you know, trying to control things...there is spillage, it will not be as great as when you do not have these stopgaps," he added.
Duterte said the five-month extension for martial law might not be exhausted if the government sees there is no more ISIS and rebellion in Mindanao.
"What am I supposed to do with martial law? I get my salary with or without a martial law. It doesn't really bother me anymore. What is martial law?," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS
