Philippine Showbiz Today
July 22 - August 7, 2017
Jan. 22-Feb.7, 2015
Mindanao martial law nears 60-day legal limit
It will be up for Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte whether
or not to extend martial law in the
southern region of Mindanao.
Martial law in Mindanao was
declared by Duterte on May 23
after clashes broke out in Marawi
City between government security
forces and Islamic militants that
include the Maute group.
The Philippine Constitution
provides that the President can
impose martial law for a period of
60 days.
Defense
Secretary Delfin
Lorenzana on July 16 said he has
submitted his assessment on the
implementation of martial law
to Duterte, who will then decide
military rule in Mindanao should
be extended.
Duterte is expected to
announce a decision on the
extension of the martial law in
Mindanao before it lapses on July
22, or two days before his second
State of the Nation Address.
In a statement issued by the
Defense department, Lorenzana,
chairman of the Task Force
Bangon Marawi to rebuild and
rehabilitate the war-torn city, said
the work ahead after the fighting
is even more daunting given the
extent of damage done to the
city.
“We earnestly look forward
to the end of fighting because we
want our Maranao brothers and
sisters who have left their homes
to go back, reconstitute their
interrupted lives and partner with
us on how we can rebuild Marawi
into a better and more beautiful
city,” Lorenzana said.
Government forces on July 16
continued to press their offensive
Sunday against the remnants
of the Maute group that overran
Marawi City, clearing 60 more
buildings previously used by the
extremists.
The military estimated there
were only 60 terrorists left in the
city, after killing 405 of them since
fighting broke out on May 23.
As the fighting entered its
ninth week, government officials
warned residents not to return
to their homes yet as their safety
could not be guaranteed.
As of July 15, government
casualties had reached 95, while
civilians killed by the terrorists
stood at 45.
Armed Forces public affairs
office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo
sad 1,723 civilians have been
rescued from the battle zone.
Malacanang urged Marawi
residents to wait for the fighting
to stop before returning to their
homes in the war-torn city.
“We
understand
the
sentiments of the residents of
Marawi wanting to return home
after being forced to flee from the
city,” said presidential apokesman
Ernesto Abella.
“The government, however,
is concerned with the safety and
welfare of all civilians, especially
women and children,” said
Abella.
“There is no assurance that
areas outside the main battle zone
are already safe to live in, as cases
of stray bullet victims have been
reported. In addition, the clearing
of the entire city of Marawi of IEDs
[improvised explosive devices]
and booby traps left by terrorists,
unexploded ordnance and other
explosives is still ongoing,” said
Abella.
A group of women earlier said
they planned to head back to the
city on July 24, the day President
Rodrigo Duterte was to deliver
his second State of the Nation
Address.
“Any right-minded Maranao
and internally displaced person
should go if only to show the
world that we are coming
home. We have been suffering
in evacuation centers,” said Bai
Sittie Marohomsar, a 52-year-old
evacuee who echoed sentiments
typically expressed by others
displaced by the Marawi conflict.
Marohomsar said they just
want to go home.●
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