QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte said that he will ask for the extension of the martial law in Mindanao only if the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) will recommend this.
The President said only the AFP and the PNP are capable of determining if there is a need for a martial law extension based on the assessment of their ground commanders.
“When is the time to lift the martial law? And then I will ask the military and the police, ‘Is this safe now?’ And when the Chief of Staff pati ‘yung PNP would say, ‘Everybody would be safe and it’s okay now,’ i-lift ko (I will lift it),” Duterte said.
“Otherwise, it’s not dependent on the whim na punta kang Supreme Court, maniwala kaya ako? Tingin ko magulo pa ipa-lift mo? Huhulihin kita, ipasok na tuloy kita sa kulungan,” he added.
Even though the Supreme Court upheld the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, this will lose its validity on July 22 or 60 days after President Duterte made the declaration last May 23.