Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte looks through a broken muzzle of a rifle after hundreds of guns and weapons were confiscated during a pro-Islamic State group siege in Marawi last year.(Source: https://asia.nikkei.com)
Hanoi(VNA) – The Philippine Congress voted on December 12 to extend martial law onthe southern island of Mindanao for another year until the end of 2019, due toconcerns over continued threats from rebels and groups sympathetic to IslamicState militants.
In ajoint session, 235 lawmakers granted President Rodrigo Duterte’s request tokeep Mindanao under martial law till December 31, 2019.
Theyagreed with assessments by security officials that Muslim terrorists stillposed a threat as they are still recruiting fighters and fomenting rebellionacross Mindanao.
Only 28voted against the extension, which is the third of its kind so far.
PresidentDuterte declared martial law across Mindanao hours after approximately onethousand Muslim militants, stormed the Islamist city of Marawi on May 23, 2017.
Under the1987 Constitution of the Philippines, the martial law is effective for 60 days,but following President Duterte’s proposal, the Philippine Congress prolonged it until December 31, 2017.
After themeeting, Philippine authorities affirmed that the freedom and rights ofcitizens in Mindanao will be ensured during the martial law’s effectiveness.
The five-month security crisis in the Mindanao city of Marawikilled over 1,000 people and forced 500,000 others to leave their homes.Although Marawi is liberated, local police believe that the region is stillunder threat by militants in hiding who are recruiting new members. –VNA
