Nothing is apparently final yet on President Duterte’s warning of the suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus to effectively combat the illegal drug menace and rebellion in Mindanao.
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the President has become “so worried” about the drug problem but the option to exercise his executive power to suspend the writ was still “just an idea.”
“The suspension of Writ of Habeas Corpus has not yet been announced. It is just an idea,” Andanar said over government radio when asked about safeguards to prevent abuse in the event the legal recourse against arbitrary arrest and detention would be suspended.
“His mention of the suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus, I believe, that this is pertaining to our problem, to our problem in the illegal drugs here in the country,” he added.
President Duterte on Friday threatened to lift the Writ of Habeas corpus if lawlessness would spread in the country. Duterte issued the warning after citing the rebellion waged by the Maute Terror Group in Mindanao and the widespread illegal drug activities in the country. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)