Martial rule

PHILIPPINES - In Brief 24 May 2017 by Romeo Bernardo

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Manila woke up this morning to news that President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial law in Mindanao, the country’s second largest island group. The declaration followed fighting between government forces and a local terrorist group “Maute” in Marawi City, a small provincial capital in Mindanao, about 800 kms. south of Manila. The situation was apparently serious enough for the President to cut short his three-day official visit to Russia after arriving only the day before. On his return to Manila at 5pm today, the President justified the declaration due to the threat of terrorism from the Islamic State (ISIS). He said that the Maute group, which has pledged allegiance to the ISIS, flew the black ISIS flag in Marawi’s streets and caused the destruction of property and loss of lives. He also justified the imposition of martial law in the entire Mindanao island rather than localized in Marawi based on a “series of bombings” recently, including in his hometown of Davao. He added that given the proximity of the Visayas islands to the north of Mindanao, he may also extend martial rule there. Based on the President’s statement, martial law in Mindanao will be in effect for 60 days effective last night, during which time the writ of habeas corpus will be suspended, allowing warrantless arrests. Although he had earlier said that martial rule this time around “would not be any different from what President [Ferdinand] Marcos did," the 1987 Philippine Constitution explicitly states that the declaration of martial law would not suspend the Constitution nor supplant the functions of congress or the civil courts; and, the President is required to report, within 48 hours, to cong...