Military official wants ARMM to remain under Martial Law

ZAMBOANGA CITY — A senior military commander wants Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to remain under the Martial Law.

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., commander of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said he wants to extend Martial Law in ARMM because of their assessment of the high level of acceptance of the people.

Galvez said, aside from ARMM being part of the Westmincom area of responsibility (AOR), he wants to maintain the martial law in parts of Zamboanga and Iligan cities.

“Based on what we see, though I don’t want to pre-judge, but for the Westmincom AOR it is safe for me to at least say that ARMM should be maintained under martial law and some other areas like part of Zamboanga and also area of Iligan,” Galvez said.

He said there is an ongoing military campaign against the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), another affiliate group of IS in Central Mindanao.

Galvez also pointed to the recalibration of its campaign against the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu and Basilan.

Galvez, however, said the extension or the stay of Martial Law in Mindanao will still depend on the assessment based consultation with the people.

The military official said Martial Law helped contained the situation in Marawi City following failed attempt of the pro-Islamic State (IS) Maute and Abu Sayyaf group to establish its caliphate.

"We're conducting the assessment... we have seen the great implication of martial law throughout Mindanao during the Marawi crisis. We see there is a strategic containment of the situation because of the martial law," Galvez said.

"The people are asking, they want martial law will continue because they see that due to martial law they will feel more safe," Galvez said.

He said on the military and law enforcement side, the suspension of habeas corpus helped security forces to expedite lawful actions against the threat groups.

"Unlike the martial law during the early days, The martial law we have currently the full constitutional rights of our citizens is being protected. We have seen in Marawi even though we have the martial law the high level of acceptance of the military from the civilian populace. Not only in Marawi but also the whole populace (whole nation) that the military can be trusted in the implementation of martial law," Galvez added.