Robredo hopes Duterte stops floating idea of martial law

Vice President Leonor “Leni” Robredo. INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday welcomed the results of a recent Pulse Asia survey that showed majority of Filipinos thumbing down the idea of imposing martial law to solve the various problems faced by the country.

Robredo said she was hoping that the results of the survey would prompt the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte to stop making unnecessary remarks on the possible revival of martial rule.

“We agree with majority of Filipinos that there is no need to impose martial law ‘to solve the many crises of the nation.’ We fought against the Marcos dictatorship to restore as democracy, even if this form of government is not perfect. And we will stand fast in defending our freedom and our rights as Filipinos,” Robredo said in a statement.

“We urge the public to remain vigilant and hope the result of the survey dissuades the administration from continuing to float the idea of reviving martial law in our country,” the Vice President added.

The December 2016 survey of 1,200 respondents showed that 74 percent of Filipinos find the idea of imposing martial law unnecessary to deal with the nation’s problems.

President Rodrigo Duterte has been repeatedly criticized for his remarks on a possible declaration of martial rule, the latest of which was when he said he wanted to amend the Constitution to allow the President to place the country under martial law without the approval of Congress and the Supreme Court. But Duterte also called the idea of declaring martial law “stupid,” saying it did not improve the lives of Filipinos.

The martial law era under  late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was marred by human rights abuses like forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, curtailed press freedom, corruption in government, and illegal arrest of opposition forces. JE/rga