Duterte signs formal declaration of lawlessness

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED 5:42 p.m.) — President Rodrigo Duterte signed on Monday a formal document on the declaration of lawlessness before he flew to Laos for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit.

Executive Secretary confirmed to journalists that Duterte has signed the declaration, which is a call of the president to the Armed Forces to prevent of suppress lawless violence.

Earlier on Monday at Malacañan, Assistant Communications Secretary Christian Ablan said the formal proclamation came only days after Duterte's announcement last Saturday to make sure the message was clear.

The president invoked the provision of the constitution on lawless violence hours after an explosion in Davao City that kiled 14 people and injured about 70 people.

"The crafting of the proclamation took some time in order to be clear as possible so that there would be no rumor mongering as to what the intention of the proclamation is," Ablan said.

Clarifying earlier statements of Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo who said the state of lawlessness was already being mulled even before the Davao blast, Ablan said there was no document being drafted prior to the incident.

"Due to the broad intelligence reports submitted to the president... (he) may have talked or discussed with Chief Presidential Legal Counsel (Salvador) Panelo regarding the drafting," Ablan said.

Ablan dismissed claims that it was being planned prior to the Davao City tragedy as a mere "conspiracy theory."

Ablan said Duterte has been receiving reports on drug threats and terrorist attacks, which may have sparked the discussion between him and Panelo.