BY MARTIN SADONGDONG
Lt. Gen. General Cirilito Sobejana, commanding general of the Philippine Army (PA), on Sunday dropped his appeal to declare martial law in Sulu.
“I drop my recommendation for [a] martial law declaration over Sulu despite the turmoil as there might be other better options,” Sobejana said.
“Besides, I always give due respect to the wisdom of our national leadership and the sentiment of the general public,” he added.
After the Aug. 24 twin bombings that killed 17 people, Sobejana had said that he would recommend to the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Department of National Defense (DND) the declaration of martial law to suppress terrorism in Sulu.
However, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and AFP Chief Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay were cold to Sobejana’s appeal due to the existing Proclamation No. 55 and the newly passed Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
Presidential Proclamation No. 55 is a declaration of a state of national emergency on account of lawless violence in Mindanao. It was issued by President Duterte on Sept. 4, 2016 after a bombing at the night market in Davao City which claimed the lives of 15 people.
Sobejana’s appeal was initially supported by General Archie Francisco Gamboa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
On the other hand, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque had said that Duterte would consider the imposition of martial law in Sulu.
From May 2017 to December 2019, Duterte placed the entire Mindanao under martial law after pro-ISIS terrorists laid siege in Marawi City.
Sobejana, who had been the commander of Joint Task Force Sulu and Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) during Duterte’s martial law period, said there were “substantial gains” in the military’s security efforts.
He said the military effectively reduced the number of kidnap victims from 54 to three at the time martial law was in effect in Mindanao.
“A number of ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) key leaders were neutralized, there were more than a hundred of ASG members who had surrendered, more than a thousand loose/undocumented firearms were handed over,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Sobejana said they also felt the support of local chief executives and other stakeholders in maintaining peace and order in Mindanao.
Despite Sobejana’s withdrawal of his martial law appeal, he said the army will continue to protect the citizens from threat groups using all other available means.
“We remain committed to protect the interest of our Tausug brothers and sisters and the rest of the Filipinos,” he said. (Martin A. Sadongdong)
