Sotto denies PH on brink of martial law

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. INQUIRER.net photo / CATHY MIRANDA

Senate President Vicente Sotto III doubts that the country is on the brink of martial law following the police’s strict implementation of law and order against violators of ordinances.

Sotto said the country is far from experiencing martial law, considering the media, and also the social media, are very much active unlike in the 1970s.

The Senate President claimed that the target of the anti-crime campaign being implemented by the police targets only the “tambays” (loafers) or the violators of city and municipal ordinances.

“Hindi, kung martial law ang pag uusapan, eh ‘di wala lahat yang mga Facebook at mga social media na nagmumura na yan,” Sotto said in an interview with DWIZ.

He also said over DWIZ: “And even you, your station should have already been closed (if martial law is in effect).”

“At tayo, hindi na tayo pwedeng mag-usap ng ganito. Yung mga nagpipintas sa Presidente hindi na pwede,” Sotto added.

He doubts that the government is shifting to martial law since the Congress is “very alive” in the country.

“Wala, hindi yun, malayong malayo yun. Buhay na buhay yung Kongreso eh,” he said.

The President earlier directed local authorities to be strict with tambay for being a “potential trouble to public.”

Duterte told the police to bring to Malacañang anyone who would resist being accosted for loitering or idling their time away especially at night.

“‘Yung kalsada, ‘yung highways are – we built it for the law-abiding citizens. Ang mga criminal dapat diyan, ang mga durugista, they are not supposed to be there. So my directive is ‘pag mag-istambay-istambay diyan sa… sabihin niyo: ‘Umuwi kayo. Kay ‘pag hindi kayo umuwi ihatid ko kayo doon sa opisina ni ano—Pasig,’” Duterte said in a speech. /jpv

READ: NCRPO chief: Crackdown vs ‘tambay’ doesn’t target the poor