Lorenzana stresses order for more troop deployment will not lead to nationwide martial law
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday told the public there's nothing to worry with the Memorandum Order No. 32 issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea last week as it will not be a prelude to nationwide martial law.
In a radio interview, Lorenza said the order only focuses on limited areas where incidents of extortion and burning of equipment are staged by communist rebels.
"Did they not hear when the president (Rodrigo Duterte) publicly said he will not declared martial law?" he said.
"This... will focus on areas where communist rebels are dominant. Bicol, Samar and Negros (province). They continue on burning (construction) equipment and extorting businessmen," he added.
Leftist groups have been trumpeting daily since the order was released that this will lead to a nationwide declaration of martial law.
Lorenzana said rebels in these areas are going all out because some of their members are surrendering and they want to establish a strong image to their people.
And due to the upcoming elections, he said the release of the order will "ensure" a safe and peaceful elections.
"On ( the) last election, we received a lot of complaints that the NPA (New People's Army) are messing with the elections. They are controlling the campaign of the candidates if they will not pay to them and they are also supporting some candidates. Meaning, election was not fair," Lorenzana said.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar Albayalde also said the order has nothing to do with martial law.
"Remember the state has the obligation to protect its citizen from lawlessness. This is part of it. The president saw the series of incidents on those area and feel the need for additional forces," he said in a press briefing.
Albayalde said Special Action Forces are deployed in those areas mentioned in the EO and they will just be realigned to the more critical areas.
He said around 127 to 132 SAF personnel were deployed in each province.
"Actually we have the territorial units already. What we will do is probably we will redeploy or realign the deployment of our regional mobile forces," he said.
"As of this time the augmentation is as the memo released, I gave directive to the director of the SAF to deploy one company in Bicol and Samar regions," he added.
Albayalde said the deployment will be according to prevailing intelligence assessment and threat evaluation by local rebels.
Memorandum Order No. 32 said a "number of sporadic acts of violence" have occurred recently in some areas in the country, particularly in Samar, Negros Oriental, and Negros Occidental, all in Visayas, and the Bicol Region which were committed by lawless groups. Ella Dionisio/DMS
