MANILA, Philippines – It has been four months since President Duterte proclaimed a state of national emergency, but with recent bombings in the Visayas and Mindanao, Malacañang believes there is still no reason to lift the declaration.
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the country still faces the challenge of addressing threats posed by terrorist groups.
“(The proclamation on a state of national emergency) has no sunset provision because again, there was an explosion in Hilongos during the Christmas holidays. There was an explosion in Midsayap. This is really the 21st century challenge – the challenge to counter the terrorists,” Andanar told radio station dzBB yesterday.
“There is no reason to lift the state of lawless violence because incidents of lawlessness and violence are still happening,” he added.
The Christmas Eve blast in Midsayap claimed the lives of at least 20 people while the Dec. 28 explosion in Hilongos, Leyte was attributed to a “turf war” among groups with drug links.
Duterte placed the country under a “state of emergency” on Sept. 4, two days after an explosion in a night market in Davao City that killed 14 persons and injured about 60 others.
The declaration, which was contained in Proclamation No. 55, also ordered the armed forces and the police to suppress “any and all forms of lawless violence in Mindanao” and prevent lawless violence from spreading in other parts of the country.
“The state of lawless violence helps the police forces ensure security and law and order,” Andanar said.
There have been fears that the explosions and the state of national emergency are precedents for the declaration of martial law. Duterte has denied this, saying martial law is a useless policy that could bring about the “downfall” of the country.