Galvez OK with ‘selective’ martial law in Mindanao

This photo, taken Aug. 8, 2019, shows soldiers patrolling the premises of San Pedro Cathedral as residents of Davao City go about their daily routines under the current martial law regime in Mindanao. (File photo by BING GONZALES / Inquirer Mindanao)

MANILA, Philippines—Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez, Jr. on Wednesday said he may recommend the extension of martial law in selected areas in Mindanao due to the continuous presence of extremist groups in the region.

Galvez said he will recommend to the Department of National Defense that martial rule be maintained in Sulu, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao as terrorist groups there have already pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) and are still operating in the said areas.

“We might recommend to the SND (Secretary of National Defense) some areas (to maintain martial law), particularly in Sulu, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao wherein there is a presence of ISIS,” Galvez said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum in Malate, Manila.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) earlier said it favors the lifting of martial law in parts of Mindanao particularly in Davao City as recommended by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Mindanao has been under martial law since May 2017, when the pro-ISIS Maute terror group laid siege to Marawi City.

Originally set to expire on December 31, 2017, martial law in Mindanao was extended thrice by Congress on the request of the Duterte administration.

Congress will decide again whether to extend martial law in Mindanao before it expires on Dec. 31, 2019.

But Galvez maintained that they will wait for the assessment of ground forces before deciding if they would push for the fourth extension of martial law in the entire region.

‘Weak’ Human Security Act

The former AFP chief also claimed that they may recommend the lifting of martial law in Mindanao if the country’s anti-terrorism law or the Human Security Act is amended.

Top security officials of the Duterte administration have been criticizing the country’s “weak” anti-terrorism law.

Aside from Galvez, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana have been lobbying to amend the Human Security Act, particularly its provisions restricting security forces from detaining terror suspects for a longer period of time.

At present, the law only allows the detention of terror suspects without an arrest warrant from a judicial court to just three days. Galvez wants the law amended to allow suspects to be detained for up to 30 days.  /muf