Lorenzana clarifies martial law statement

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has told senators the declaration of martial law is imperative to deal with immediately and decisively security concerns in the entire Mindanao region, not just in the besieged city of Marawi.

Lorenzana’s office issued the statement on Wednesday after the Senate minority bloc announced following his briefing in an executive session on Monday that he did not recommend that President Duterte proclaim martial law in Marawi in response to a rampage by Maute group and Abu Sayyaf bandits.

“What he said was that the government security forces can contain the situation in Marawi City even without martial law. However, he emphasized that martial law is imperative to once and for all address security concerns in the entire Mindanao immediately and decisively,” the statement said.

“The situation currently being dealt with by state security forces goes beyond Marawi,” it added.

Rebellion in South

Martial law “aims to put an end to the long-running rebellion in various provinces in the south,” as shown by incidents in Zamboanga, Davao, Bohol, Lanao, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Maguindanao, the statement said.

“As the President has repeatedly said, ‘If I declare martial law, I will finish all of this,’” it said, referring to threats posed by Islamic State-linked local and foreign terrorist groups whose network covers the entire Mindanao.

Lorenzana, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and the top brass of the Armed Forces of the Philippines attended the closed-door briefing in the Senate.

“I would like to think they were very supportive and appreciative of what soldiers were doing in the field,” Esperon said.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan said Lorenzana had told the senators that he was “looking at being able to normalize the situation by Friday, by this week” or to make sure there would no longer be armed elements in Marawi.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the briefing showed that government troops were battling 500 Maute fighters, backed by “silent supporters” in the area.

During Wednesday’s security briefing in the House of Representatives, Lorenzana said Mr. Duterte did not consult him or other members of the Philippine delegation in Russia where the President announced the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, according to Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman. —WITH REPORTS FROM CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO AND DJ YAP