Poe backs martial law extension but says abuses must be addressed

Sen. Grace Poe takes the floor during the special joint session of Congress on Saturday, July 22, 2017. (Photo from her Facebook account)

Sen. Grace Poe backed the extension of martial law in Mindanao on Sunday, saying it was “inevitable” despite reports of human rights violations in Marawi.

“Unang-una, hindi talaga maiiwasan. Hindi naman talaga natin dapat gamitin ang martial law ng basta-basta. Pero kahit na anong sitwasyon, may martial law man o wala dito sa iba’t ibang parte ng bansa, marami talagang human rights violation,” she said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

(“First of all, it is inevitable, of course we should not use martial law irresponsibly but whatever the situation is, whether there is martial law or none, a lot of human rights violation are happening in various parts of the country.”)

In a special joint session of Congress on Saturday, Poe voted in favor of President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to extend martial law.

She favored the extension despite the statements of Samira Gutoc-Tomawis, a former Bangsamoro Transition Commission member, that there were human rights violations in Marawi.

“Hindi naman natin ito ipinapagsawalang-bahala. Kailangang parusahan kung sino man sa ating gobyerno, sa military man o sa pulis, sa mismong executive na nagkasala ng human rights violations. Pero yun nga, first things first. Unahin natin ang mismong banta sa seguridad ng mas nakararami sa lugar na iyon,” she said.

(“We are not ignoring this. We need to punish whoever it is in the government, be it in the military or police, or even in the executive branch, who violated human rights. But first things first. We must give priority to the security threats affecting the majority in the area.”)

The former presidential candidate admitted, however, that she first chose to extend the martial law to just 60 days/ But the motion lost in the Senate.

“Pero kung ang kwestyon naman ay hanggang Disyembre o walang martial law, panig na ako doon sa mayroon kasi kailangan din na medyo mabigat din ang pagtutok ng ating military,” she said.

(“But if it’s a choice between an extension until December or no martial law at all, I’d be for the extension because we need extensive focus on our military effort.”)

Beyond pushing for the martial law extension, however, Poe said a monitoring mechanism must be implemented to check any abuse of power.

“Pwedeng mag-usap kaming mga senador at siguro magsama na rin pati sa lower House na humiling muna ng briefing on a regular basis, anong araw, sabihin na natin every three weeks o every two weeks,” she said.

(“We senators may discuss, even with the lower House, to ask for briefings on a regular basis, probably every three weeks or two weeks.”)

Poe said she would be open to the possibility of revoking martial law if abuse of power could be proven.

“Syempre, unang-una kapag mayroong napatunayan talaga na pang-aabuso ng ating mga sundalo na sa ngayon ay bineberipika,” she said.

(“Of course, if abuse by our soldiers are proven, which we are verifying now.”)

“Bigyan din naman natin ng kaunting pagpupugay ang ating mga sundalo na marami naman sa kanila, mayorya sa kanila ay matinong ginagawa ang trabaho nila,” she added.

(“But let’s also praise them because majority of them are doing their jobs well.”)

Meanwhile, she brushed aside fears that the martial law might be extended to Visayas and Luzon.

“Pag may bantang ganun, kailangan pa rin yang busisiin sa Senado,” she said. “At sinasabi ko na ngayon, dadaan yan sa butas ng karayom bago yan maipasa.”

(“If there are threats like that, we need to scrutinize it in the Senate. And I’m telling you now, it would have to pass through the eye of a needle.”)

“At sa tingin ko sa ngayon, napakalayo sa ating isipan,” she added. “Kaya nga we are trying to contain the situation in Mindanao and mabuti na rin na nakikita natin ang proseso, papaano.”

(“And with what I can see now, that’s farthest from our minds. That’s why we are trying to contain the situation in Mindanao, and it’s best that we can see the process.”) /atm