Duterte thanks Congress for approving one-year martial law extension in Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday thanked Congress for swiftly granting him martial law powers over the entire region of Mindanao for an extra year to defeat jihadist militants and communist rebels operating there.

With 240-27 vote at a joint session, it took Congress less than half a day to approve Duterte’s request to extend martial law in Mindanao until Dec. 31, 2018 and arrest suspected rebels there without charge.

Speaking to troops at the ceremonial demilitarization of firearms seized during the Marawi rebellion, Duterte thanked lawmakers for “understanding the plight of Filipinos.”

He stressed it would be difficult for him to combat militants in Mindanao without placing the insurgency-plagued region under military rule.

“Without the martial law powers, the ancillary powers attached to the implementor, the implementing agency, mahihirapan tayo (it would be difficult),” the president said.

“Ilang oras lang tayo pwedeng mag-detain (How many hours are we allowed to detain) a person? The longest is 36 hours. You think you can really solve the problem, the crime?” he added.

“Ang problema (The problem is), there are rules to follow. If you want change, then you have to go to the people and explain to them."

On May 23, Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law after the principal Islamic city of Marawi was stormed by heavily-armed homegrown extremists who pledged allegiance to ISIS.

In July, Congress overwhelmingly voted to prolong military rule in Mindanao until yearend after the proclamation reached its 60-day constitutional limit, giving Duterte more time to stabilize the strife-torn region where ISIS was gaining influence.

In a rousing address to troops last October, Duterte declared Marawi liberated from pro-ISIS extremists after five months of fighting that gave state forces their first taste of urban warfare.

But in his letter to Congress, Duterte cited continuing threats of ISIS-inspired terrorists in seeking for an extension of martial law, adding that those who escaped the Marawi battle were actively recruiting to carry out future assaults.

He also warned about heightened guerilla attacks following the collapse of peace talks between the government and communist rebels.

“Itong mga komunista (The communists)... they have been fighting government forces for almost 50 years,” Duterte said.

“I hope we will not have to go into another 50 years. I do not want to kill my brothers and sisters who are Filipinos,” he added.

Martial law remains a sensitive issue in the Philippines after it was used by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the 1970s to perpetuate himself to power.

Opponents feared Duterte might declare a nationwide martial law, but the authorities had repeatedly dismissed that.

At Wednesday’s joint session, a handful of lawmakers opposed the additional year of martial law, arguing that prolonging the previously extended proclamation would be unconstitutional and could lead to more human rights violations in Mindanao.

"We do not ask for unlimited martial law. What we are seeking is unlimited peace," Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea told lawmakers.