Martial law in Visayas?: Duterte asked: Consult LGUs

CEBU, Philippines - If President Rodrigo Duterte makes good his plan to expand martial law to the Visayas, he should first touch base with the local chief executives here, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said yesterday.

Osmeña made the remark a day after the President announced the possibility of extending to Visayas and Luzon the military rule in Mindanao, where intense military operations may prompt members of the rebel Maute Group to seek sanctuary in other regions.

“We cannot speculate on what would be necessary to bring back normalcy, except I gave the President benefit of the doubt for doing it in Mindanao. But doing it here in the Visayas? I hope he will consult the local officials here which he did not do in Mindanao,” the mayor told reporters during his regular press conference at the City Hall yesterday.

“It’s okay that he did not consult the officials there because he is already from there,” he added.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide, for his part, described the move to put the entire country under martial rule as “unfounded.”

“I support the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, but in Visayas and Luzon, I don’t think it is right at the moment. Allergic ang Cebu sa martial law nga na-experience nato sa panahon ni late president (Ferdinand) Marcos,” he said.

Former Cebu City South District representative Antonio Cuenco, who served as congressman during Marcos’ time, agrees with the governor.

Cuenco does not believe President Duterte would push through with the nationwide declaration or that Congress would allow it.

“Our Constitution states that there should be rebellion, insurrection or a total breakdown of law and order,” he said.

Yes to Martial law

In other Visayan islands, however, leaders are taking a different stand.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. said the Marawi incident is a serious problem that merits martial rule while Iloilo City Representative Jerry Treñas expressed his support to the President's decision, adding the country needs to unite in times of crisis.

Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo also welcomed martial law’s proposed extension in preparation for possible movement of terrorists into Visayas.

Degamo has alerted Task Force Leon Kilat and Task Force Deter to make sure the province is sealed from possible spillover of terrorists from Mindanao, although Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Sr. maintained it’s impossible for terrorists to come to Negros and neighboring provinces.

“They will not go to a place without supporters and sympathizers,” Marañon said.

Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino has urged the people in the Visayas to rally behind President Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

“Let's give President Duterte our full and unbridled support in his declaration. Let us set aside politics and for once rally behind the flag as we pray for our troops and policemen who are working hard to maintain peace,” Dino said in a press statement.

Dino said his office is closely working with the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command, Police Regional Office-7, Philippine Coast Guard, Maritime Industry Authority, and other agencies of government to form a task force that will secure the Visayan seas.

This aims to prevent terrorists and other criminal elements from entering the central Philippine provinces.

Dino also appealed for sobriety and asked netizens to avoid posting information on social media that may further exacerbate the situation in Marawi City.

Here in Cebu, Vice Governor Agnes Magpale also favors placing the Visayas under the martial rule, saying: “If ever it happens, let’s welcome it. It’s for the safety of the whole Visayas.”

Magpale said the migration of residents from Mindanao to other large metropolitan areas in the Visayas is likely to happen in the wake of the Marawi clash.

“Possible gyud. But we can’t legislate against migration. Ato man nang mga brother Filipinos. Maybe ayuhon og han-ay kinsay makasud,” she said.

Cebu, she said, is very accessible to other islands because 80 percent of the country’s shipping lines are based here.

According to the website of the provincial government, Cebu is the gateway to around two-thirds of the entire Philippine archipelago.

‘Safer than Davao’

But if ever terrorists reach Cebu City, Osmeña said the city already has a first line of defense: its Muslim community.

The city’s Muslim community numbers around 50,000.  Across Metro Cebu, the figure stands at around 100,000.

Osmeña recalled that it was this community that “saved” the city from six bombing threats many years ago.

“Cebu is the safest place. It’s even safer than Davao (City). We never had bombings here. Davao had bombings. Cebu City can take care of itself,” he said.

At least 30 Muslim community leaders in Cebu paid a courtesy visit on Osmeña yesterday where they reiterated their commitment to report to authorities suspicious-looking individuals in their locality.

These leaders will now serve as information officers, according to Aurangzeb Ali, development management officer at the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.

Ali, during the meeting, told Osmeña that their community leaders will be watching over their respective areas and seek police assistance whenever they see strange individuals.

“As usual, kaming mga Maranao 101 percent support sa imo,” he said.

Osmeña said it is “impossible” for terrorist groups to penetrate Cebu City since they do not have a mass base here.

“To sneak in two or three people, that’s possible pa. What is important right now is to be very suspicious to all people who are coming to the city,” he said, appealing to the public to assist authorities in guarding the city.

In a related development, Osmeña expressed support to Duterte’s pronouncement allowing licensed gun owners to use their weapons.

He said civilians should be given authority to use their guns because lawless elements are unafraid to carry firearms without licenses.

“I see a very big significant change in his (Duterte’s) reaction because the previous body language of the previous administration is to disarm the civilians. I think that’s good,” he said.

To help boost security in the city, the mayor said he is eyeing to ask City Council to push a measure allowing policemen to carry their firearms inside malls.

At present, policemen are asked to leave their firearms while inside the mall, which Osmeña said is supposedly a public place.

“Once we get the majority in the City council, we will propose an ordinance allowing policemen to carry firearms inside our malls because our mall is a public place. I cannot accept the idea that policemen will leave their guns,” he said. — with Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, Juancho R. Gallarde, Gilbert P. Bayoran, Jennifer P. Rendon, and Frazene Dolly E. Alterado (FREEMAN)