Manila Standard - 2017 May 27 - Saturday

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VOL. XXXI • NO. 102 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

MARTIAL LAW ORGANIZATIONAL SETUP PRES. RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF DEFENSE SEC. DELFIN LORENZANA

ADMINISTRATOR SIGNED. President Rodrigo

(VACANT)

Roa Duterte signs the report he submitted to Congress on the declaration of martial law and suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao on the sidelines of the special Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Guest House in Davao City on May 25, 2017. Presidential Photo

P

HOUSE Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez told critics of President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law to get themselves elected president first. Martial law declaration is the power that our Constitution bestows [upon] the President of the Philippines,” Alvarrez told a television interview. He also said the President’s critics must go to Marawi City to personally witness the situation before criticizing Duterte. I myself am from Mindanao and I know the terrain very well. The President did the right thing and for us to say that emergency powers would have sufficed… Next page

In a seven-page report to Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Duterte said several lawless groups had taken up arms in a rebellion to remove Mindanao, starting with Marawi City in Lanao del Sur, from its allegiance to the Philippine government and create a separate Daesh wilayat or Islamic State province in Mindanao. “Considering the network and alliancebuilding activities among terrorist groups, local criminals, and lawless armed men, the siege of Marawi City is a vital cog in attaining their longstanding goal: absolute control over the entirety of Mindanao. These circumstances demand swift and decisive action to ensure the safety and security of the Filipino people and preserve our national integrity,” Duterte said. “While the government is...conducting Next page

FVR, Robredo oppose ML expansion

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Seeking to ease tensions on the eve of their fifth round of formal peace talks that will start on Saturday (May 27), Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison said both the left and the Duterte administration must

VICE President Leni Robredo said Friday there was no compelling reason to also declare martial law in Luzon and the Visayas should the terrorists spread terror outside Mindanao, which President Rodrigo Duterte had placed under martial rule to neutralize them. “It is difficult to react because, first of all, we believe there is not enough reason to declare [martial law] in the Visayas and Luzon,” Robredo said. She said she was supportive of the administration due to the serious problem of terrorism, but the people must be reassured that the abuses committed in the dark years of martial law during the Marcos administration would not happen again. “We want to be assured by the government and the Armed Forces that there will be no more repeat of what had happened in the past,” Robredo said. “That is why we have to stay vigilant.”

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Reds told to reconsider ‘attack’ order vs troops By John Paolo Bencito COMMUNIST leaders in Utrecht said Friday they would recommend to their cadres to reconsider their order to intensify attacks on government troopers as a way of opposing martial law.

MGEN. CARLITO GALVEZ JR.

WESTERN MINDANAO COMMAND CHIEF

PNP CHIEF GEN. RONALD DELA ROSA

LT. GEN. OSCAR LACTAO

HEAD, CENTRAL COMMAND VISAYAS

Social media curbs in the works—AFP

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte told Congress Thursday night that the Maute terrorist group wanted to turn Mindanao into a separate Islamic state as he justified the declaration of martial law in the south.

Rody wins over Erap, House men

IMPLEMENTOR

EASTERN COMMAND CHIEF

By John Paolo Bencito, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

from Marawi on May 26, 2017 as fighting between Islamist militants and government forces continues. Below, thick smoke engulfs residential areas as Philippine security forces bombed areas where Islamist militants were holding out. AFP

COS GEN. EDUARDO AÑO

LT. GEN. REY LEONARDO GUERRERO

‘Maute aims IS setup in south’

CITY IN SIEGE. Family members carrying their belongings walk in front of other residents in vehicles as they flee

DEPUTY

ADMINISTRATOR

SOCIAL media may be censured when needed in Mindanao as part of the martial law guidelines still being crafted by the military, the Armed Forces spokesman Brig. General Restituto Padilla said. While there are no guidelines yet on the possible censorship, Padilla assured the public the military will uphold civilian rights and will only be “harsh” against those committing rebellion or invasion. “The AFP has not recommended the suspension of the freedom of expression, but will exercise the right to censure based on the following: 1. To ensure the safety of lives; 2. To ensure operational security and the safety of our men in uniform who are fighting; and for other national security considerations,” the spokesman said. “It will cover social media. The reason these guidelines have to be set is because of the things that we have been seeing in the operational environment,” he added. The Defense memo also precluded warrantless arrests, a Next page

31 terrorists die in Marawi siege He also confirmed the By F. Pearl A. Gajunera statement of Solicitor Genand Francisco Tuyay DAVAO CITY--Government troops have killed 31 terrorists four days after they laid siege on Marawi and flew black Islamic State banners over the city. Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said that the 11 soldiers and two policemen were also among the casualties. One of the fatalities was beheaded by a terrorist, Padilla said. Padilla said that firefights against the Maute group are still ongoing in some parts of Marawi City. Padilla said the main objective of the troops was to clear the entire city of Marawi of terrorists as soon as possible.

eral Jose Calida that there are foreign terrorists in Marawi City. “Yes, there are also certain elements here who have been in the country for a long time, aiding these terrorists in skills related to terrorism, primarily bomb making,” he said. Padilla said they are currently verifying the reports that a number of Malaysia, Indonesian and Singaporean terrorist were killed in Marawi siege. He said that they are already coordinating with the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore about the presence of the foreign terrorists. Malaysia Federal Police special branch director Datik Seri Mohamad Fuzi Harun Next page

Ramadan starts today, moon-sighting teams declare By Nash B. Maulana LUNAR observers positioned themselves in strategic areas for moon-sighting Thursday night to determine the day when the fasting

month of Ramadan begins. But the Dharul Ifta, which deployed the moon-sighting teams in coordination with state security agencies amid the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, said late

Thursday night that the new moon did not appear visible, so Ramadan starts today, Saturday, for the followers of Islam. The Ramadan fasting among the Muslims starts this

weekend, declared Bangsamoro Grand Mufti Abu Huraira Udasan in Cotabato City. Alim Abdulmuhmin Mujahid, executive director of the Regional Dharul Ifta (House of Opinion) in the Autono-

mous Region in Muslim Mindanao or RDI-ARMM, made a similar announcement late Thursday. Muslims fast daily from dawn to dusk in 29 to 30 days

RAMADAN. Filipino Muslims pray at the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila on May 26, 2017, a day before the start of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. More than 1.5 billion Muslims around the world will mark the start of Ramadan on May 27, during which believers abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from dawn until Next page sunset. AFP


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