Philippine marines, backed by an Armored Personnel Carrier, walk to the frontline in the continuing assaults to retake control of some areas of Marawi city Sunday, May 28, 2017 in southern Philippines. Philippine forces launched fresh airstrikes Sunday to drive out militants linked to the Islamic State group after days of fighting left corpses in the streets and hundreds of civilians begging for rescue from a besieged southern city. AP Photo/Bullit Marquez
Senators were told on Monday that the government would try to normalize the situation in Marawi City by Friday even if the military and police were contending with 500 armed elements, some of them “silent supporters” of the Maute group.
Emerging from the closed door security briefing in the Senate by security and defense officials Monday night, Senators JV Ejercito, Manny Pacquiao and Sherwin Gatchalian said they were inclined to support the declaration of martial law in Mindanao after hearing out the executive branch’s justification for it.
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., said most of the senators seemed to have been convinced by their explanation as he told reporters that President Duterte wanted to protect and defend the people as well as government projects and investments in Mindanao.
“I would like to think they were very supportive and appreciative of what soldiers were doing in the field,” Esperon said, adding that senators had gave them precautions not to go beyond the provisions of the 1987 Constitution.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan said that Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told them the government was “looking at being able to normalize the situation by Friday, by this week” or to make sure there would be no longer armed elements in Marawi City.
Still, Pangilinan said this information would not stop them from pushing for the Senate to adopt the minority bloc’s resolution for the joint session of Congress to convene and tackle the martial law declaration.
Gatchalian, meanwhile, said that what was important to him was the chaos and violence had been contained in the area.
But he also said that they were surprise to hear from security officials that there were 500 armed elements still being hunted down and these included members of the Maute Group and their “silent supporters.” They were also told that the chaos could even go beyond Marawi City so there were efforts to contain it, Gatchalian said.