Golez says yes to Mindanao martial law, but no to its extension

Former National Security Adviser Roilo Golez during the “Framework Code of Conduct, One Year After Arbitration” forum held in Manila Polo Club, Makati City. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON

Former National Security Adviser and House Defense Committee Chair Roilo Golez  is in favor of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Mindanao martial law declaration, but not for the plan to extend it.

“Sa mula’t mula, full support ako sa martial law sa buong Mindanao, hindi lamang [sa] Marawi kundi [sa] buong Mindanao,” former Parañaque Representative Golez said in an interview with Radyo INQUIRER last Monday.

(From the start, I’m in full support for the martial law in the whole Mindanao, not just in Marawi City but also in the whole Mindanao.)

Golez, however, said that he was looking forward to the end of the siege within the 60-day period without the need for extending martial law.
“Sabi ko, ‘pag ito ay maresolba within 60 days, magiging maganda ang imahe ng Pilipinas. May problema tayo, pero maipapakita natin sa mundo na kaya nating bigyan ng solusyon nang mabilis ang problema,” he said.

(I said, if this would be resolved within 60 days, the image of the Philippines would be uplifted. We have a problem, but we could show to the world that we could give a solution to the problem immediately.)

Golez said that if martial law would be prolonged, it would appear that the Philippines is having difficulty, and that there is a problem in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

If there are still terrorists in the city after the 60-day period, “ideklara na lang na tapos na at mga pick-up operations na lamang, so that you’ll look good in the eyes of the world, kasi sinusubaybayan tayo ng mundo rito,” he advised.

(Just declare that it’s over and what’s only remaining are just pick-up operations, so that you’ll look good in the eyes of the world, because we are being watched by them.)

Golez then took a look at Iraq’s victory against the Islamic State (IS) in Mosul, the country’s second-largest city,  and said he was hoping that the Philippines would also win, and that the headline of the news would be President Duterte declaring that AFP has liberated Marawi City from all of the “bad elements.”

“[Sa] Mosul, libo ang pumasok diyan. Dito, daan lang naman ang pumasok,” he said, referring to the international terror group IS of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

(In Mosul, thousands entered. Here, only hundreds.)

Golez said that it was mostly propaganda, when asked if he believes that the IS-inspired Maute Group really got sympathy from ISIS.

“Gusto nila na tumaas ang kanilang imahe. Sasabihin nila, ‘Kami ay associated with ISIS.’ ‘Yung ISIS naman, kahit na anong gulo, sasabihin nila, ‘O, sa amin ‘yan,'” he revealed.

(They want to uplift up their image. They’ll say, “We’re associated with ISIS.” Then the ISIS, no matter what it is, they’ll say, “Oh, that’s ours.”) Renz Paolo B. Regis, INQUIRER.net trainee/JE