The Department of National Defense has submitted to the Office of the President its recommendation on July 13 whether or not to extend Martial Law in Marawi and the whole of Mindanao.
This was confirmed by Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana today, 16 July 2017, six days ahead of the 60-day Martial Law period per Proclamation No. 216, which ends on 22 June 2017.
“We have submitted our position on Martial Law in Mindanao to the President,” the Defense Chief said.
Secretary Lorenzana, however, did not give additional details so as not to pre-empt the President.
“We will have to wait for the President’s final decision on the matter. What I submitted to him was my recommendation from the security sector as Administrator of Martial Law in Mindanao after consulting with the CSAFP Gen Año. The President has a lot more to consider,” he said, including the inputs from the DILG/PNP, other government agencies and the people of Mindanao. “I fully trust the President’s judgment on this whether he considers my recommendations or not,” Secretary Lorenzana added.
Secretary Lorenzana, who was also designated as Chairperson of Task Force Bangon Marawi to rebuild and rehabilitate Marawi, acknowledges that the work ahead after the fighting is even more daunting considering the extent of damage wrought into the city.
“While we have already begun laying the foundation for the reconstruction, recovery, and rehabilitation of Marawi City through community engagement, coordination with various agencies and making post disaster assessments, 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 best rebuild Marawi into a better and more beautiful city,” Secretary Lorenzana said.
“There is still a lot of work to do but I am very confident that together, as one nation, we can all help Marawi rise up from the ashes of conflict and be a better place,” Secretary Lorenzana added.### DND-pr
