President Duterte said he is ready to seek for an extension of the 60-day martial law in Mindanao from Congress if the military tells him that the island is not yet safe.

This, after the 60-day martial law in Mindanao reached its midpoint on June 23, 2017, or a month after the Islamic State (ISIS)-inspired Maute group laid siege in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.

Duterte, in his speech at the 140th anniversary of the Philippine Chinese Charitable Association at the Manila Hotel, said only the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) knows when is the right time to lift martial law.

“Hanggang kailan? I really do not know. They [the military] should know better than me. ‘Pag sinabi nilang ‘wag muna, e ‘di wala tayong magawa,” Duterte said Wednesday night.

“Punta ako sa Congress, I would ask for another 60 days [if needed],” he added.

Duterte earlier said that he would be the first to clamor for the lifting of martial law once Mindanao returns to normalcy.

“‘Pag sinabi nila na everybody is safe and we will all be alive for the next 24 hours, I would ask them if they think it’s time to lift the martial law,” Duterte said Friday night.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos

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