As martial law envelops Mindanao, DND insists Marawi situation 'contained'

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of National Defense on Wednesday insisted that the security situation in Marawi City was already “contained” as several provinces in Mindanao heightened their alert levels.

In a statement, the Defense department said that it is only “a matter of time” before the Maute group militants are “taken down” as the government pours in more troops to augment security forces already posted in Marawi City.

The Defense department also called on the public to be vigilant and security conscious, adding that Delfin Lorenzana, the Defense secretary, is already on his way from Moscow, Russia where he and several other top security officials had been accompanying President Rodrigo Duterte on an official visit when the crisis in Marawi City erupted.

Duterte and his Cabinet arrived in Manila before 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

“In light of what is happening in Marawi City, we call on our fellow Filipinos in Mindanao to be security conscious at all times and remain vigilant in your day to day activities. Rest assured that the situation in Marawi City is already contained. With the deployment of additional forces, it is only a matter of time before we take all these evil doers down,” the defense department said.

The DND clarified that, with martial rule in effect on the Philippines’ second largest island, the Armed Forces of the Philippines would take over law enforcement operations from the Philippine National Police. It added that the military would also conduct arrests and searches in “accordance with the rule of law and human rights.”

The Defense department however emphasized that the constitution is still in effect on the island. The 1987 Constitution allows the president to declare martial law, but this declaration does not suspend the constitution nor close down courts.

“We emphasize, however, that martial law does not suspend the Constitution but authorizes the Armed Forces of the Philippines to take over law enforcement operations from the Philippine National Police, and conduct arrests and searches in accordance with the rule of law and human rights,” the DND said.

Heightened alert across Mindanao

On Tuesday night, Duterte placed Mindanao island under military rule after clashes between security forces and Maute Group and Abu Sayyaf bandits left three people dead, several others injured and the city under siege.

Reports also showed that a jail and a school were set ablaze during the firefight. Several black flags resembling that of the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS) were also seen atop vehicles and hoisted in several locations.

Lorenzana said that the declaration of martial law would entail the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, the imposition of curfews and the setting up of checkpoints.

Despite assurances from the Philippine security establishment that the situation was already under control, several provinces and locations were on heightened alert in the aftermath of the clashes and the martial law declaration.

Davao City, where Duterte was mayor for more than two decades before winning the presidency last year, is on a "hold and secure status", according to Sarah Duterte-Carpio, the president’s daughter and the city’s current chief executive.

“We discourage unnecessary travel and we advise everybody to use prudence in planning your daily activities. Kung hindi na kailangan lumabas, huwag na kayo lumabas ng mga bahay niyo (If you don't have to go out, don't go out of your homes)," Carpio said.

She further said: “(My advice to) other Mindanaoans na (kung) wala kayong importante na gagawin sa Davao City ay huwag na kayo mag biyahe and (to) all other cities of Mindanao kasi mayroon nga na inimpliment ang ating government na martial law (If you don't have anything important to do in Davao City, don't trave to other cities of Mindanao because martial law has been implemented.”

Zamboanga and several island provinces in Mindanao, including Basilan which is the traditional stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf, are also on heightened security following the declaration of army rule.

Aside from Zamboanga and Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are also on heightened status for fears that the clashes in Marawi City would spill into the provinces.

Zamboanga City Mayor. Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said the authorities were already securing vital installations to preclude any attack from the groups or their sympathizers to divert the attention of security forces.

These developments came after a whirlwind of events, and even confusion, in Mindanao that saw Filipinos waking up to a fresh declaration of martial law on Wednesday morning.

Duterte was forces to cut short his official visit to Moscow as his presence was needed in Manila to stave off the threats of the Islamic militants, according to Alan Peter Cayetano, his foreign affairs chief.

Cayetano, who will stay behind in Moscow to finalize the bilateral agreements between Russia and the Philippines, said that his counterparts at the Kremlin understood the situation in the country.

There also seems to be confusion as to what was really happening in Marawi City at least at the initial stages of the crisis.

ISIS or not?

Lorenzana and the military have given conflicting statements on the presence of IS in the Philippines.

The military has insisted that IS does not have any presence in the Philippines. However, this was contrary to what Lorenzana, the defense chief, said in a press conference Tuesday night.

He said that the perpetrators of the siege in Marawi City were members of the Maute Group or ISIS.

“It is actually Maute or ISIS because they are the same,” the defense secretary said, adding that he believed that the crisis in Marawi City had international backing.

“There have been reports that came to me from Baghdad that they are already seeing these pictures in the website of ISIS.”

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police have said that while the Maute group is ISIS inspired, the militants are not members of ISIS.