Duterte: I respect dissenting opinions on Mindanao martial law

President Rodrigo Duterte. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he respected the dissenting opinions of the justices who voted against his declaration of martial law in the entire Mindanao.

“Well I would give due respect to the opinions, the dissenting ng nagsulat ng (the ones dissenting and) questioning the martial law power of the President. Alam mo, it’s a very short-sighted thing,” Duterte said in an ambush interview in Bulacan.

READ: SC upholds validity of martial law in Mindanao

The President attended the wake of five people massacred in San Jose Del Monte town.

The Chief Executive declared martial law in the Mindanao region after Islamic-State inspired terrorists attacked Marawi City.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the President’s declaration and voted to dismiss the petitions before the high court to declare it unconstitutional.

Eleven justices voted in favor while three said martial law should only be declared in conflict-torn Marawi City.  Only one associate justice opposed the declaration.

Duterte again defended his declaration, saying it was meant to prevent the spillover of terrorist attacks in Mindanao.

“When you declare martial law, you have to use your coconut, the grey matter between your ears. It’s easy to escape because there is no division in terms of land. You can go anywhere, there can be a spillover,” he said.

“Ang critical sa iyo (What is critical to you) might not be critical to the justices of the Supreme Court. It may not be critical; wala naman silang pakialam ilan namatay na tao diyan (they don’t care how many people die there), but when you explode IEDs sa Zamboanga sa national city high school, in Marawi sa library, how would you characterize it?” he added.

He said fighting in Marawi would continue as long as terrorists remain in Marawi.

“Before, I’m warning the nation, ‘Don’t force my hand into it because if I declare martial law, tatapusin talaga natin (we will finish them off).’ For as long as there is one terrorist sa Marawi na iyan, hindi na hihinto iyan (we won’t stop),” he said. JE