Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, November 27, dismissed the public’s fears that he would declare martial law nationwide after he ordered the deployment of troops in several areas in the country as a means to contain the insurgency.
“No, I am not going to declare martial law. There’s enough powers of the presidency that I can use. Well, if there is really, it’s widespread violence then maybe. But I do not need really violence in every corner of the Philippines to say that we are in danger,” Duterte said.
Duterte said that the issuance of Memorandum Order 32 was his way of controlling the “lawless violence and acts of terror” prevalent to the Bicol region, Samar, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental.
The president claimed that doing so will not instigate nor serve as a “prelude” to martial law as believed by the opposition. He explained such during the media interview after the inauguration of the Bohol-Panglao International Airport.
Duterte said that as a president, he has the responsibility to do what was “necessary to preserve this nation and to protect the people.” He believed that such is his duty as the country’s leader and it is his “oath of office.”
“So you are wondering what is it? That’s the riddle. Sometimes it’s good to have a riddle,” he said as reported by The Manila Times.
He said deployment of additional troops was because of the encounters there with communist rebels. The president added that the placing of military forces is needed in order to curb the chaos and reestablish peace in the said areas.
“You place troops where you think that you need added forces. Well I seem to be, I mean I’m — I’m surprised why you are so interested about deployment when I’m supposed to take care of the security of the country,” Duterte said.
“There is a need to reinforce the directive of the president to prevent further loss of innocent lives and destruction of property and bring the country back to a state of complete normalcy as quick as possible,” the president added.
In the same speech, Duterte also issued an order to deploy a division of troops in Jolo, Sulu after five soldiers were killed and 25 others were wounded in a clash with the Abu Sayyaf group.
“There, I will really place one division there. Not only a company, not only a battalion, not a regiment but I’m going to place an entire division for the islands there towards Sabah,” Duterte said.
