The Philippine National Police (PNP) has an appeal to the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels: Don’t make the situation worse.
The PNP urged communist rebels to help their fellow Filipinos by not aggravating the situation in terror-stricken Marawi City and the rest of the country as President Dutere placed the entire Mindanao under martial law.
This was after the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) ordered its armed wing to launch more attacks, particularly in Mindanao as a protest against the government’s declaration of martial law.
“The Party calls on the NPA to plan and carry out more tactical offensives across Mindanao and the entire archipelago,” it said in a statement released to media.
In response, PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos said: “As Filipinos, huwag na natin palakihin ‘yung nagiging sitwasyon sa Marawi. Tulungan natin ‘yung bansa natin (As Filipinos, let’s not aggravate the situation in Marawi. Let’s help our country).”
“Ang mga NPA, kapwa Pilipino tayo at nais natin ang ikakabuti ng taumbayan (The NPAs, we are all Filipinos and we want what’s best for the people). I hope we are together in that,” Carlos said in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Thursday.
The CPP-NPA hit President Duterte for practically ordering the AFP soldiers “to impose its rule and carry out more abuses with extreme impunity.”
The PNP, meanwhile, assured that it will not tolerate martial law abuses this time.
President Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao following the clashes between government forces and Maute bandits, who pledged allegiance to international terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS). He ordered it to last for 60 days until the military and police are able to contain the terror group in Marawi City.
READ: Duterte declares martial law in South
The President also suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao, which would allow the police to arrest people without warrants. JE/rga