(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has formally asked Congress to extend martial law for one year in Mindanao.
In a letter addressed to Senate President Koko Pimentel and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Duterte cited a letter of recommendation suggesting the one year extension beginning January 1, 2018 from the Secretary of National Defense.
In the letter received by Duterte on December 4, the defense department cited the “current security assessment” made by the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in making the recommendation.
The AFP chief of staff said the extension was to “primarily ensure the total eradication of Daesh-inspired Da’awatul Islamiyah Wallyatul Maariq, other like-minded local and foreign terrorist groups and armed lawless terrorist groups, and the communist terrorists and their coddlers, supporters and financiers.”
“The security assessment submitted by the AFP supported by a similar assessment by the Philippine National Police, highlights certain essential facts that I, as Commander in Chief, have personal knowledge of,” he said.
He said for one, despite the death of Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute, “the remnants of their groups have continued to rebuild their organization through the recruitment and training of new members and fighters to carry on the rebellion.”
He said at least 185 people listed in the martial law orders released by the defense secretary were still at large.
“More specifically the remnants of DAESH-inspired DIWM members and their allies, together with their protectors, supporters and sympathizers, have been monitored in their continued efforts towards radicalization/recruitment, financial and logistical buildup, as well as in their consolidation/reorganization in Central Mindanao, particularly in the provinces of Maguindanao and North Cotabato, and also in Sulu and Basilan,” he said.
He added that the Turalfie group was also monitored to be planning to conduct bombings, notably the Cotabato area.
He said Turalfie is believed to be the potential successor of Hapilon as the emir of Daesh Wilayat in Southeast Asia and in the Philippines.
Apart from this, he said the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters “continue to defy the government by perpetrating at least 15 violent incidents during the martial law period in Maguindanao and North Cotabato,” and the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf Group in Basilan, Sulu, Tawi Tawi and Zamboanga peninsula “remain a security concern.”
“Last but certainly not the least…the New People’s Army took advantage of the situation (in Marawi) and intensified their decades-long rebellion against the government…,” Duterte said.
“For all these reasons, I ask Congress of the Philippines to further extend the proclamation of martial alw and the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in the whole of Mindanao for a period of one year…,” he added.