ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines — Armed Forces chief Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. will recommend to President Duterte the extension of martial law in Mindanao due to the clamor of different local government units (LGUs) in the South.
Galvez, who arrived here last night from Davao City, said based on their assessment in the Eastern Mindanao Command, most of the LGUs are recommending the extension of martial law following the positive impact on their areas.
“The LGUs are recommending the extension because they saw the very positive impact in terms of tourism, investments doubled up to more than 90 percent and the peace and order improved, especially in the cities,” Galvez said.
He said the areas in Eastern Mindanao have been relatively peaceful in terms of violent incidents perpetrated by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
“We were shown the sentiments of the different provincial governors and majority said they wanted martial law to stay in the whole of Mindanao,” Galvez said.
Galvez said he is also expecting similar feedback from the LGUs in Western Mindanao areas following initial reports about the support for the extension of martial law.
He said they would also wait for reports from Regional Peace and Order Council.
Galvez said last week they met officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of National Defense to assess the sentiments of the different local executives from Lanao and Maguindanao that also support the extension of martial law.
The AFP chief maintained that the reason for extending martial law was due to the persistent threat of terrorism and the NPA.
He said the implementation of martial law had also diminished the threat from the Anzar Khalifa Philippines, a local terror group allied with the Islamic State.
Galvez said they also expect that the gains next year against the NPA group will be “irreversible.”