Pimentel seeks public understanding on martial law

FILE – Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III. Photo by TARRA QUISMUNDO/Philippine Daily Inquirer

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III urged the public on Sunday to understand the martial law  declaration in Mindanao, saying “extra measures” were necessary  to neutralize terrorists  in the region.

Pimentel made the call even before  the scheduled briefing on Monday by defense and security officials to senators on why President Rodrigo Duterte had to declare martial law in Mindanao.

The public, he said, should view the martial law declaration as a “decisive step that was necessary to neutralize terrorist elements who could claim more lives, as well as to suppress lawless violence and rebellion.”

“Those who have sown terror in Mindanao and threaten the safety and security of our citizens are the enemy – not the government and certainly not our men in uniform,”  Pimentel said in a statement.

“The terrorists are the threat here. They have repeatedly shown an utter disregard for the sanctity of human life and have shown that they will not hesitate to resort to violence and mayhem to further their ends,” said the senator from Mindanao.

He said the sooner the threat is neutralized, the better it would be for the people of Marawi and Mindanao.

“President Duterte knows that at this point, extraordinary measures are necessary to contain this threat, and those of us from Mindanao understand that. The rest of the nation should understand this as well,” the Senate leader said.

Pimentel said it was reassuring that after the declaration of martial law, the Department of National Defense (DND) issued guidelines to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with regard to its implementation.

In a memorandum dated May 24, Defense Undersecretary Eduardo Del Rosario clarified that  the  martial declaration in Mindanao “does not suspend the operation of the Constitution, nor supplant the functioning of Philippine judicial and legislative assemblies.”

“Any arrest, search and seizure executed or implemented in the area or place where martial law is effective, including the filing of charges, should comply with the Revised Rules of Court and applicable jurisprudence,” it said.

Pimentel allayed fears of any abuses, saying  government troops deserve “admiration and respect” instead as they risked risk their lives in Mindanao to fight the  terrorists.

“As long as they operate within the bounds of our Constitution and our laws our people have nothing to fear,” he added.