AFTER the escalating conflict and attack by the terror group Maute in Marawi City, President Rodrigo Duterte has declared the much dreaded martial law in the whole of Mindanao to stop the “contamination” of the ISIS-linked terror group in Mindanao, in the whole nation, and in the Southeast Asia region.
Duterte said the terror group has already infiltrated 75 percent of Marawi with the plan of targeting Christian communities while trying to recruit Muslim youth. He feared ISIS would push through with the plan of establishing a caliphate in the Philippines’ Mindanao area, Indonesia and Malaysia and that this must be stopped.
Philippine authorities have warned the Maute group militants to surrender or die. According to ABS-CBN News, more than 100 people have been killed in the conflict which began last week. Twenty-one soldiers have reportedly died and the Marines have confirmed they have killed eight terrorists in one day.
Filipinos in America have protested in the streets to demand that Duterte lift martial law, concerned about the president steering the Philippines back to human rights abuses of the Marcos dictatorship’s martial law era. Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno warned in a speech that impunity is on the rise and that fundamental rights are once again under threat.
The motive of Duterte in declaring martial law was all the more questioned because of the reported inaccurate statements he made claiming that the chief if police of Malabang was killed but the police chief himself debunked this saying he is still alive.
On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana along with other security officials reportedly told senators in a private briefing that the military could neutralize the Maute Group even without martial law, and that the recommendation to declare it did not come from them.
Many kababayans from back home defended Duterte’s declaration of martial law, arguing that Filipinos in America are not in the position to criticize the president’s decision, especially when all he wanted was to protect the country from being attacked and conquered by ISIS.
This defiance has been especially personal for Filipinos from Mindanao who contend that their lives are the ones under threat and that the Fil-Ams’ opposition is just making the situation worse.
However, there are also Filipinos in America who support Duterte’s decisive action to declare martial law in Mindanao.
Here is the statement of Atty. Arnedo S. Valera, Chairperson of the US Pinoys For Real Change in the Philippines (USPRCP), to express their full support for Duterte’s May 23 declaration of martial law in Mindanao for 60 days, noting the extreme urgency of the crisis in the region.
Valera said: “President Duterte’s bold and decisive action is imperative in quelling the rebellion in the region, halting the escalating inhumane atrocities by the extremists, as well as insuring our national security and the safety of Filipinos, and demonstrating the government’s resolve in combating international terrorism.”
USPRCP, a nonpartisan organization composed of dual citizens based in this U.S. capital, advocates for a better life for Filipinos everywhere. Here is the full statement:
1. We support President Rodrigo Duterte’s May 23 declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao for 60 days to quell the existing rebellion, insure the national security of our nation and the safety of our people, especially the civilian population, as well as combating international terrorism.
2. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the heinous terrorist acts and unconscionable atrocities perpetrated by the extremist Maute terrorist groups and their cohorts, which resulted in the willful killing of three government troops, one from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and two from the Army. In wanton disregard of human lives, these extremists also attacked civilian facilities, including St. Mary’s Church, Dansalan College and Ninoy Aquino School.
3. We call on all Filipinos and the international community to support the Philippine Government’s war against terrorism and extremist groups which target even non-combatants, the civilian population and cultural property, including places of worship in direct violation of the International Humanitarian Laws on armed conflicts.
4. We urge the Mindanaoans to be vigilant and to extend their assistance to the Philippine troops through relaying vital information, taking into consideration their safety and that of their families as first priority in abiding by their patriotic duty. The civilian population is an important part of the government’s fight against terrorism.
We pray for the families and children of our troops killed in defense and security of our country. Further, that they may find divine strength and spiritual blessings in these trying times. We call on the government and our community to extend all kinds of support to the families of our heroes, especially their children.
5. We salute and express our full support for our troops in their heroic role to fight and eradicate terrorism in Mindanao and elsewhere. This is the time to support our troops and our government to secure the national and territorial integrity of our nation and the safety and security of all Filipinos, as well as to demonstrate our resolve that international terrorism does not flourish.
US Pinoys for Real Change in the Philippines (USPRCP)
Chairperson of USPRCP : Rev. Atty. Arnedo S. Valera , Esquire
Dan Jimenez
Mike Ocampo
Conrad Martinez
Elizabeth E. Babiera
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
