EDITORIAL - Martial law upheld

There are two factors that have allayed fears and muted protests against President Duterte’s martial law.

One is the nature of the enemy in Marawi. Even foreign governments have confirmed that the Islamic State, whose fighters are being driven out of Iraq and Syria, are eyeing Mindanao as a base for its envisioned caliphate. IS-designated “emir” Isnilon Hapilon of the Abu Sayyaf reportedly led the Maute group in laying siege to Marawi, where the terrorists have been decapitating government troops and civilians alike. The nation wants this deadly threat neutralized, quickly.

The other factor is the behavior of the forces fighting the enemies of the state. Instead of becoming objects of fear for any abuse of martial law powers, government troops are receiving letters of support from school children along with other forms of morale boosters from various sectors. The United States brushed aside concerns about martial law abuses and quickly provided drones, missiles, guns and ammunition to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to assist in the fight. Another Asia-Pacific democracy, Australia, also sent drones.

Such developments probably helped persuade the Supreme Court to decide that this is not dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ martial law. Yesterday, the SC released its decision upholding President Duterte’s martial law Proclamation 216 covering the entire Mindanao. The vote, a convincing 11-3-1, took into consideration a confidential briefing given by security officials to SC justices on the elements that led to the declaration of martial law.

With the SC ruling, the challenge for government forces is to maintain public trust and goodwill through professional conduct in the battlefield. Avoiding abuses should be complemented by the speedy achievement of the immediate objective of Proclamation 216: to rid Marawi of Maute-Abu Sayyaf terrorism so that rebuilding of the ruined city can start in earnest.

As government forces hunt down Hapilon and undertake mopping-up operations, Marawi residents must do their part in protecting their own communities if they want a better, safer city. After suffering from Maute depredations, residents should not only condemn the group’s supporters in their midst but also report terrorist presence to authorities. The government can set up a mechanism to facilitate anonymous security alerts from concerned citizens.

Beyond protecting Marawi, authorities must prevent the IS-Maute threat from spreading to other parts of Mindanao and the country. That is the mandate in Proclamation 216 that the SC has upheld. The SC vote of confidence should be used to the utmost to achieve enduring victory against the terrorists.