AFP chief: Martial law extension in Mindanao will help troops ‘finish job’

Gen. Eduardo Año, AFP chief of staff (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)

Extending martial law in Mindanao until the end of the year will help government troops “finish the job” of flushing Islamic State-inspired terrorists out of Marawi City, according to Gen. Eduardo Año, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

On  Tuesday, Año finally disclosed that the military leadership had recommended the extension of martial law in Mindanao.

“[Considering[ the prevailing situation in Mindanao, particularly in Marawi, we recommended for the extension,” he said, but declined to give details.

Earlier on Tuesday, the President called on Congress to extend martial law in Mindanao until Dec. 31 of this year.

Duterte placed the whole of Mindanao under martial law last May 23, when the fighting broke out between government troops and the Maute-led terrorists.

The proclamation, which is effective for 60 days as prescribed in the Constitution, is supposed to end on July 22.

Año said the five-month extension would be a big help in quelling the terrorist threat in Mindanao.

“It’s enough for us to do our job and finish the job,” he said.

He said, however, that martial law could be lifted before Dec. 31 if the military would be able to “degrade these terrorist groups who staged this rebellion.”

By his estimates, Año said from 60 to 70 terrorists remained in Marawi City, with around 800 of them elsewhere in Mindanao.

“They are spread out in different areas in Mindanao and we have enough forces to confront them,” he said. “Ito ang kagandahan ng martial law, because we restrict the limit of these armed groups.”

“Kung walang martial law madali lang nakapag reinforce ang mga ito,” he added. /atm

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