The chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are “inclined” to recommend an extension of President Rodrigo Duterte’s martial law declaration in Mindanao.
PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa bared this Tuesday, explaining that an extension of the military rule will make way for a peaceful rehabilitation of Marawi, where Islamic State-linked terror groups laid siege on May 23.
The 60-day martial rule in Mindanao is now on its 43rd day, as state offensives continued against the militants.
“Nag-usap kami kahapon (We talked yesterday, Monday) ni [AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eduardo] Año, na pag tinanong kami ni presidente, kung ano ang aming recommendation, kung hindi pa ito matapos, pa-extend natin,” Dela Rosa told reporters at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame Tuesday.
(If the president were to ask our recommendation, if the war isn’t over, we want to extend it [martial law])
He said martial rule may be necessary to stabilize the situation in the city and give way to rehabilitation efforts. Extending martial law would require congressional approval.
“We are inclined to recommend to the president if possible, the way things are going there — since the situation hasn’t been totally stabilized — it would be ideal to aid the rehabilitation phase of Marawi,” Dela Rosa said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Dela Rosa and Año on Monday met with the president and his Cabinet to discuss the rehabilitation of Marawi.
The president has ordered the creation of an inter-agency task force for the rehabilitation of Marawi City, while an initial fund of P5 billion has been allocated for the effort.
In a majority vote on Tuesday, the Supreme Court upheld the president’s declaration, dismissing several petitions that questioned Duterte’s basis for declaring martial rule.
READ: Philippine Supreme Court affirms martial law in Mindanao
Authorities estimate that around 100 to 120 fighters, some of them as young as 16, remain holed up in Marawi’s commercial district, down from around 500 at the beginning of the siege.
The battle for the lakeside town has killed at least 82 security troops, 39 civilians and 336 militants. — With reports from Henry Atuelan and Maan Macapagal, ABS-CBN News
