MANILA — Malacanang on Wednesday described the Supreme Court (SC) decision upholding the constitutionality of the year-long martial law extension in Mindanao as “unity of the whole government” to fight terrorism.
“The Supreme Court’s decision affirming the further extension of the proclamation of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao underscores the unity of the whole government in its bid to defeat terrorism,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement.
Voting 10-5, the SC junked on Tuesday the petitions challenging the extension of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Proclamation No. 216 that put Mindanao under martial law and suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.
“The majority of votes is a manifestation of confidence on law enforcement agencies that they shall, like they had been doing before, continue to protect our people and secure Mindanao,” Roque said.
Roque added that the SC’s ruling would allow the government to pursue an unhampered rehabilitation of erstwhile war-torn Marawi City.
He said government forces would continue to uphold the rule of law, human rights and international humanitarian law in the imposition of martial law in Mindanao.
In December last year, both the Senate and the House of Representatives granted the second request of Duterte to extend the imposition of martial law until the end of 2018.
On May 23, 2017, Duterte first declared martial law for Mindanao after the ISIS-inspired Maute group attacked Marawi City.
Congress first granted in August the President’s request to extend martial law until December 31 last year.
It took five months before the Armed Forces of the Philippines was able to clear Marawi City of the terrorists. (Jelly Musico/PNA)
