President Rodrigo Duterte has called on Congress to extend martial law in Mindanao until the end of the year.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Duterte has decided to ask Congress for the extension since “he has come to the conclusion” that the siege in Marawi City would not reach its end by July 22, the deadline for the 60-day period of the initial martial law proclamation.
“For this reason, that because public safety requires it, I call upon the Congress to extend until 31st of December 2017, or for such a period of time as the Congress may determine, the proclamation of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the whole of Mindanao,” said Duterte in a statement, as delivered by Abella.
Duterte sent the letter to Congress Monday night and is expected to send a detailed report to lawmakers.
Abella said Duterte asked for the martial law extension until the year-end to allow government troops to deal with the crisis “unhampered by deadlines.”
Duterte placed the entire Mindanao under martial law on May 23 after Islamist extremists led by the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups laid siege on Marawi in a bid to establish an Islamic State province in the Philippines.
Re-published from ABS-CBN News
