By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
NOT one member of the city council spoke out against the extension of martial law in Mindanao.
The city council on Monday approved a resolution to openly declare its support for President Duterte’s decision to extend the Mindanao martial law until Dec. 31, this year.
The resolution was authored by Liga ng mga Barangay president and Councilor Yan Lam Lim and co-authored by Councilor George Goking.
Lim authored it a day after Armed Forces chief Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero warned of a backlash if the one-year extension of martial law is nullified.
“I passed this resolution as a matter of national concern and this also reflects the same sentiments, overwhelmingly, of the barangay officials I am representing and those from the business sector,” Lim said.
He said he took a similar position last year when Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao due to the Marawi siege.
Duterte declared martial law in the entire Mindanao on May 23, 2017 when violence broke out in Marawi when authorities tried to arrest an Abu Sayyaf leader being protected by the Maute Group.
Before it ended in July 22, Congress extended it until Dec. 31, 2017. It was subsequently extended again for one more year.
Lim said the city and other areas in Mindanao did not suffer as a result of martial law, and the military rule has not been characterized by no human rights violations.
“There was a drastic decrease of the crime rate in the city. In the first few months of the implementation of martial law, business activities slowed down but thereafter, it was slowly picked up,” he said.
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