More troops sent vs ‘lawless violence’ but Palace says no nationwide martial law

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has ordered the reinforcement of police and military forces to suppress “lawless violence” and acts of terror in the provinces of Samar, Negros Oriental and in the Bicol region – areas where the communist New People’s Army is known to operate.

Contained in Memorandum Order 32 issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Thursday, Malacañang stressed that it “views with concern the growing number of sporadic acts of violence that have recently occurred” in those areas, which were reportedly done by lawless elements.

MO 32, titled “Reinforcing the guidelines for the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in the implementation of measures to suppress and prevent lawless violence,” ordered the departments of defense and of local government to coordinate with each other in deploying the troops.

It also ordered the military and police to intensify their local and transnational intelligence operations against individuals or groups that are suspected of or committing or conspiring to commit acts of lawless violence in the Philippines.

“There is a need to reinforce the directive of the President in order to prevent further loss of innocent lives and destruction of property and bring the whole country back to a state of complete normalcy as quick as possible,” Medialdea said in the order.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate fears that the order is “an apparent prelude to a nationwide martial law declaration.”

“This is the same scenario that was played before in Mindanao. First, there was a denial, then came the declaration of a state of emergency citing lawless violence and, eventually, declaration of martial law in the island, which is being floated to be extended again,” Zarate said.

To him, it would be better if Duterte sends the military and police to run after Chinese aggressors in the West Philippine Sea.

Rep. Antonio Tinio of Act Teachers suspects that sending more soldiers to the southern provinces only aims to show that the “so-called state of lawless violence in Mindanao has now spread to Luzon and Visayas” and that this could be considered as “taking another step towards the declaration of martial law nationwide.” Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao agreed with his colleagues as he called on the “Filipino people to oppose Duterte’s attempt to impose a nationwide martial law.”

But Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesman, dismissed their fears and that of militant organizations, saying “anti-government groups will always find ways to come up with their criticisms against the government and the military.”

“We do not see it that way,” he said, referring to the allegations that MO 32 lays the ground for the declaration of a nationwide martial law.

He added that the AFP supports the order and that it is waiting for the official order to move troops to Bicol and the Visayas. In issuing MO 32, Medialdea cited as among the bases the killing of nine farmers in Sagay City, Negros Occidental on Oct. 20 and – in Samar Island – the ambush of soldiers providing relief to victims of a typhoon in Northern Samar; armed attack at the police station in Lapinig, ambush attack against the 63rd Infantry Battalion in Matuguinao and the assault on the former mayor of San Jose de Buan town.

“We have also witnessed acts of lawlessness in the province of Negros Oriental such as, but not limited to, torching of heavy equipment in Manjuyod, strafing of the house of the barangay chairman, attack of police detachments and the killing of a police chief in separate occasions in Guihulngan,” said presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo.

He also noted that Bicol has suffered from a series of instances of lawless violence, including the ambush of the convoy of Food and Drug Administration director-general Nela Charade Puno in Camarines Sur, firefights in Lagonoy and clash in Bato, among others.  

Panelo said MO 32 is in accordance with Proclamation 55, which declared a state of national emergency on account of lawless violence and ordered the AFP and PNP to suppress any and all forms of lawless violence in Mindanao and to prevent such lawless violence from spreading and escalating elsewhere in the Philippines.

He stressed that Duterte assured the people that authorities will continue respecting and giving due regard to the constitutional rights of all individuals and that the civil and political rights, as well as all existing rules and applicable jurisprudence during a state of national emergency, will be observed by the AFP and PNP.  

Probe and prosecution

The memorandum also called for the prompt investigation and prosecution of all individuals or groups apprehended for committing or conspiring to commit acts of lawless violence, and directed all government units to work and support the executive branch “to ensure (its) effective implementation.”

At all times, the Palace reminded law enforcers, the “constitutional rights of every individual shall be respected and given due regard.”

“In particular, the AFP and the PNP are enjoined to observe the existing rules and jurisprudence in instances that may justify the implementation of warrantless arrests, searches and seizures, as well as ensure compliance with guidelines for police/military checkpoints, and stop-and-frisk situations,” a portion of the memorandum reads. 

“No civil and political rights will be suspended during the existence of the national emergency on account of lawless violence,” it added. 

Malacañang warned that any AFP or PNP personnel found violating any of the constitutional rights shall be held administratively, civilly or criminally liable.

Chief Supt. Benigno Durana Jr., PNP spokesman, said regional police directors are given discretionary authority to raise alert conditions and redeploy forces as necessary.

“The PNP will realign deployment of forces according to intelligence assessment and threat evaluation with the underlying objective to thwart any attempt by domestic threat groups to commit acts of violence,” Durana added.

Col. Benedict Arevalo, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said some units have already started troop movements, including the re-establishment of a tactical advance command post in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental and the assignment of supervision of several units in Bohol province.

Dana Sandoval, Bureau of Immigration spokesperson, said the agency would also be closely monitoring foreigners in the country.

But for Karapatan general secretary Cristina Palabay, the movements brought about by MO 32 “will only intensify the level of state terrorism against the people.”

“Placing the said provinces and regions under a state of national emergency based on highly questionable reports of ‘some sporadic acts of lawless violence’ is a trademark dictatorial move, one that is used by desperate regimes like Duterte’s to justify their killings, illegal arrests and detention, torture, illegal searches and other state-sponsored crimes against the people… Such old lines have already been used to justify and prolong the martial law declaration in Mindanao, where many reported violations of human rights are shrugged off by this regime as non-existent,” Palabay claimed.

She and the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas urged people to call for the junking of MO 32. – With Jess Diaz, Rhodina Villanueva, Evelyn Macairan, Emmanuel Tupas, Jaime Laude, Gilbert Bayoran