Poe on Duterte threat: Let’s not trivialize martial law

Sen. Grace Poe-Llamanzares. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

“Let us not trivialize martial law,” Senator Grace Poe said on Thursday, reacting to President Rodrigo Duterte’s remark about declaring martial law.

“I know his style at least from what we’ve seen in the past and even while he was still a mayor. I’ve heard him say a lot of controversial things, funny things sometimes but controversial nonetheless,” Poe said of Duterte in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart.

“I think we should not trivialize anything such as martial law, specifically martial law. But he’s a lawyer and he knows that it’s, again, limited to either invasion, or rebellion and the drug war—although drugs, the problem of drugs is really a menace to society, does not fall in either one,” she said

And even in cases of unrest, Poe said she will never vote for martial law “unless there’s a clear and present danger in the country.”

“And you need the approval of Congress to be able to pass martial law, anyway,” the senator said.

Duterte earlier raised the possibility of declaring martial law while rebuking Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for cautioning judges not to heed his orders to report to authorities and explain their alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

READ: Duterte threatens to declare martial law if SC thwarts drug war

The President named some judges in a long list of personalities that included policemen and politicians allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

“Please wag mo ako..hindi ako…di ako g***. If this continues, pigilin mo ako, sige pag nagwala, would you rather that I declare martial law?” said Duterte.

But Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the President’s remark was just a rhetorical question  “under the context that his anti-drug campaign cannot wait for the slow wheels of justice – PH style.” CDG/rga

READ: Palace on martial law threat: It was just a rhetorical question

RELATED VIDEOS