By MARTIN A. SADONGDONG
The Philippine National Police (PNP) announced yesterday that it will support the national government should it choose to extend the martial law in Mindanao.
PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde, in a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City, said that he sees no problem if President Duterte would order the extension of martial law in the southern region.
“If the government is inclined to extend the martial law in Mindanao, we will support it,” Albayalde said.
He said Duterte could take into consideration several things other than the Marawi City siege, which served as his basis when he declared martial law in Mindanao last year.
Among these include the plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) set on January 21, 2019. The plebiscite period, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will run from December 7, 2018 to February 5, 2019.
He also reasoned out that the martial law currently being implemented in Mindanao “is not the same” with the one ordered by the late dictator President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
“Sa tingin ko, if only we want to maintain the peace and order and if only they want to have a peaceful plebiscite eh mas maganda siguro kasi ‘yung martial law doon is not the same noong martial law during the Marcos time (I think if only we want to maintain the peace and order and if only they want to have a peaceful plebiscite, it’s better [to extend] because the martial law there [in Mindanao] is not the same as the martial law during the Marcos time),” Albayalde explained.
The PNP chief maintained that freedom “is not being curtailed” in Mindanao even if martial law is implemented in the region.
“Ang nakita lang natin is ‘yung mga massive checkpoints na nakikita natin doon and surrender of firearms. Saka tingin ko, based on mga feedbacks, mas gusto pa nga ng mga taon doon na may martial law,” he added.
Albayalde made the statement after Presidential spokesperson revealed that President Duterte could extend the martial law in Mindanao to help improve the peace and order situation in the said region.
Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao on May 23, 2017 at the start of the Marawi City siege and it has been extended until yearend.
