The Duterte government will no longer ask Congress to extend martial law in Mindanao, Malacañan Palace announced on Tuesday.
Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said President Rodrigo Duterte made the decision following the unanimous recommendation of security officials.
“The Office of the President wishes to announce that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is not extending martial law; it will expire on December 31st, 2019,” Panelo told reporters.
“His decision is based on the assessment of the security forces as well as the defense advisers that the terrorists and extremist rebellion have been weakened as a result of the capture or neutralization of their leaders; as well as there has been a decrease in the index crime[s]. The people of Mindanao [can] rest assured that any incipient major threat in Mindanao will be nipped in the bud even without martial law,” he added.
Martial law was imposed in the entire Mindanao island group following the May 2017 terrorist attack in Marawi City, which was extended by Congress three times.
Panelo said the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, the Department of National Defense (DND) and the national security adviser may the recommendation to lift martial law.
In an earlier statement, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said: “I was assured by the Armed Forces, the police that we have already accomplished what we need to do. With the situation there now, we believe we can maintain the peace and order and improve it further without martial law.”
READ: Defense chief against martial law extension in Mindanao
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año agreed with Lorenzana, saying: “We concur with the DND that the purpose of Martial Law has been attained based on the assessment of military and police forces as normalcy has returned to the entire region and the peace and order situation in the area has remarkably improved since the Marawi Siege of 2017.”
READ: Año does not support martial law extension in Mindanao (PressONE.ph)