The deployment of additional troops to different provinces around the country will “avoid martial law” if sufficient, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said Tuesday.
In a Twitter post, Locsin responded to a statement by Vice President Leni Robredo who said the government should ensure that the troop deployment would not lead to martial law.
Locsin said there would be no ground for martial law if the deployment of more troops contained and stamped out lawless violence.
“Troop deployment if sufficient will avoid martial law because lawless violence will be contained and hopefully stamped out swiftly and completely so there is no ground for martial law,” Locsin wrote.
Thank you, Ma'am, for being understanding. Troop deployment if sufficient will avoid martial law because lawless violence will be contained and hopefully stamped out swiftly and completely so there is no ground for martial law. https://t.co/J7NGPF25Kx
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) November 27, 2018
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the deployment of more soldiers to Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, and the Bicol Region to suppress “sporadic acts of violence” allegedly committed by lawless groups.
Upon Duterte’s directive, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea signed Memorandum Order No. 32 last Thursday, calling for the deployment of supplementary state forces in the said provinces. /cbb
READ: Duterte deploys more cops, soldiers to Negros, Samar, Bicol / Duterte sends more troops in Bicol, Samar, Negros vs lawless violence