Stopping rebellion in 60 days? That’s ‘stupid,’ says Calida

Solicitor General Jose Calida at the 1st day of the oral arguments at the Supreme Court on President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao.
INQUIRER file photo/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The idea that the state security forces can end rebellion in Mindanao in just 60 days is nothing but plain “stupid,” according to Solicitor General Jose Calida.

Opposition lawmakers led by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman earlier asked the Supreme Court (SC) to issue a temporary restraining order against martial law extension until 2018, arguing that the extension appears to be overkill.

READ: Minority lawmakers ask SC to issue TRO vs martial law extension

Calida, in defense of the extension, called the argument of the opposition lawmakers “asinine,” or in other words, “stupid.”

“The extension of martial law and the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao for one year is not only factual but more importantly, compelling,” Calida said in a statement on Sunday.

“The argument that this rebellion can be quelled in 60 days is asinine,” he said.

While Marawi City was already liberated by the armed forces last October, Calida said there was still an “on-going” rebellion in Mindanao.

“In fact, the rebellion staged by various secessionist, jihadist, terrorist and communist groups in various places in Mindanao has been festering for several decades now,” the solicitor general said.

Calida also dared the opposition lawmakers to visit the strongholds of the rebel groups to see for themselves the “awesome armaments” and the “cadres of combatants” to be used to bring down the government.

At the same time, the solicitor general called on the petitioners led by Lagman to concede to the SC’s ruling declaring Duterte’s declaration of martial law as constitutional.

In their petition, the lawmakers argued why the year-long extension of martial law in Mindanao was “inordinately longer” than the original proclamation that limited the declaration to only 60 days.

READ: Calida: Petitioners vs martial law extension don’t know Mindanao situation

“A full year re-extension, aside from being factually unwarranted, is oppressively long and patently unconstitutional,” the petitioners argued.

Calida explained that there was no provision in the 1987 Constitution that limits the period of extension to only 60 days.

“The only criteria (for the extension): that the invasion of rebellion shall persist and that public safety requires it,” the solicitor general said.

President Rodrigo Duterte requested for an extension due to “increasing violence” from communist rebels and threats posed by extremists. Congress voted 240-27 to approve it. /jpv