MANILA, Philippines — Despite the threat posed by Moro extremists, President Rodrigo Duterte ruled out Thursday the declaration of martial law, calling it a “stupid” policy that did not improve the lives of Filipinos.
Duterte said he sees no need to place the country under martial law and would rather empower local executives to allow them to solve their security issues.
“Martial law? Kalokohan yan. Nung nag-marital law tayo ano nangyari? Gumaling ba ang buhay natin? Hanggang ngayon, wala (That’s stupid. We were under martial law but what happened? Did our lives improve? Until now, it has not),” the president said during the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Local Government Summit in Davao City.
“Martial law for what? Killing people? I would rather empower every mayor. Just don’t use it for other things. Soldiers would never accede to any illegal order. Ask them to escort the delivery of drugs and I will ask them to shoot you. You shoot your master yourself,” he added.
The Philippines was placed under martial law by then President Ferdinand Marcos citing the need to curb the communist rebellion. While Marcos loyalists believe that martial law helped contain unrest, activists and historians claim that it paved the way to human rights abuses and the suppression of freedoms.
Duterte said people from Manila thought he would declare martial law because of the recent activities of the Maute militants, who occupied parts of Butig, Lanao del Sur last weekend. Duterte said last Monday that the Maute group has links to international terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS). He believes though that killing more people would not solve the problems confronting the country.
“Those from Manila were waiting for me to get angry…You build a nation over dead bones of Moros and Christians,” Duterte said.
“Martial law for what? To kill all Maute (rebels) and religious extremists. Then? Can he (rebel) pass to his child the things inside his brain? That’s his. What this guy will remember is his father was killed,” he added.
“I don’t allow oppression in this country. I’ll never do it.”
Fears about the possible declaration of martial law mounted after Duterte floated the possibility of suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus if lawlessness spread in Mindanao.