'Safe kami, nakakalabas kami, nakakalakad kami [na] wala kaming bodyguard,' adds Senator Manny Pacquiao
Published 3:55 PM, December 11, 2017
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Manny Pacquiao expressed support for President Rodrigo Duterte's request to extend martial law in Mindanao until the end of 2018. (READ: Duterte asks Congress for 1-year martial law extension)
Pacquiao, a party mate of Duterte in the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), said people in Mindanao favor the extension of martial law for security reasons.
"Taga GenSan [General Santos City] ako, wala naman, mas masaya nga kami sa martial law ng Mindanao dahil safe kami, nakakalabas kami, nakakalakad kami [na] wala kaming bodyguard... Mas maganda," Pacquiao told reporters on Monday, December 11.
(I'm from GenSan. We're more happy that there is martial law in Mindanao because we're safe, we can go out into the streets, we can walk without bodyguards. It's better.)
Asked if one year is too long for such a declaration, Pacquiao said the President knows what he is doing and that there have been no abuses under the current martial law.
"Para sa amin sa Mindanao, 'di rin naman namin nararamdaman 'yung martial law. As usual pa rin. Gano'n pa rin. Walang problema, walang nang-aabuso," Pacquiao said.
(For us in Mindanao, we don't feel that we're under martial law. Everything's the same. No problems, no abuses.)
"Ngayon kung may nang-aabuso at 'di naaksyunan, magreklamo tayo. Pero wala naman eh. Maganda naman ginagawa ng ating Pangulo," he added.
(Now, if there are people committing abuses and these are not being addressed, we should complain. But there are none. The President has been doing a good job.)
Duterte has asked Congress to extend martial law in the region by one year to "totally eradicate" Islamic State-inspired terror groups.
In his letter, sent to media on Monday, Duterte requested that martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus be extended from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018.
The 5-month martial law extension Congress earlier granted Duterte expires on December 31 this year.
Senators are set to hold a briefing with security officials on Tuesday, December 12, following Duterte's request.
Meanwhile, Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman, who belongs to the independent opposition bloc in the House, said Duterte's move violates the 1987 Constitution.
Lagman said in a statement on Monday that there is no more basis for martial law in Mindanao as the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups are considered defeated, with government troops already withdrawn.
"[Duterte's] request for Congress to extend martial law in the entire Mindanao for one more year amounts to a patent violation of the safeguards which the 1987 Constitution imposes for the limited grounds and duration of martial law and its extension," said Lagman. – Rappler.com