Duterte on martial law: Why should I do it? I don’t need it

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. AP PHOTO

MANILA — Days after complaining about the martial law safeguards in the 1987 Constitution, President Duterte said on Thursday he had no plan of placing the country under martial rule.

“It will lead to the downfall of the country. Me, I don’t need to do it [declare martial law]. Ever,” Mr. Duterte said in a live television interview.

The President said he would just tell people if there was lawless violence and the steps he would take to stop it.  He added he saw no need to punish people with such a declaration just because of criminality.

“Why should I do it?” he asked.

He said he told the military to develop loyalty not to him, but to the Constitution.

He also claimed on Thursday that he did not start all the talk about martial law.

Just last week, in a speech in Pampanga, Mr. Duterte said he wanted to change the provision in the 1987 Constitution that allowed both the Congress and the Supreme Court to review a President’s martial law proclamation.

If both had conflicting findings, there could be trouble, he said. He also said only one person should be giving directions in a situation that required martial law.  SFM