Martial law extended: All of C. de Oro, Misor representatives do it again

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent . 

ALL of Cagayan de Oro’s and Misamis Oriental’s representatives yesterday joined 231 other lawmakers in voting in favor of the third extension of the Mindanao martial law.

One of them, Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr. of Cagayan de Oro’s 2nd District, was so proud of his vote that he posted on his Facebook page: “I just voted yes for the extension of martial law in our dear country! God, save our Republic!”

Rodriguez’s message was accompanied by a photograph of himself flashing the thumbs-up sign while voting for the martial law extension.

His counterpart in the city’s 1st District, Rep. Rolando Uy, and Reps. Peter Unabia and Juliette Uy of the 1st and 2nd districts of Misamis Oriental, respectively, also voted in favor of the motion to extend martial law by another year.

The vote of the four Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental representatives was a repeat of their approval of Duterte’s 2017 martial law declaration and the subsequent extensions.

Senators and congressmen crossed political party lines as Congress overwhelmingly voted for the extension, and the request for the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2019.

A total of 235 members of Congress voted to approve the motion while only 28 voted against it. There was one abstention.

A dozen senators voted in favor of the motion, five were against it, and one abstained. As for the Lower House, 223 representatives favored the motion, 23 rejected it, and no congressman abstained.

Under the Constitution, the Congress, voting jointly, has the sole power to extend martial law. A majority vote of the two chambers is needed to pass the motion. 

Not everyone was happy with the martial law extension. Here, Iglesia Filipina Independiente Bishop Felixberto Calang slammed Congress for agreeing to extend the Mindanao martial law even as he frowned over how the four Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental representatives voted.

Political interests, according to Calang, factored in the way the lawmakers voted.

“Tingali’g wala sila maminaw sa yangongo sa katawhan, labi na kadtong mga tawo nga apiktado sa martial law,” Calang said.

Calang said the senators and congressmen did not give attention to numerous complaints about the alleged abuses committed in Mindanao under martial law. He said the problems in Mindanao cannot be given a military solution.

The abuses, he said, include actual cases of “red-tagging” and militarization resulting in the displacement of many families in outlying villages.

“Bisan dinhi sa mga syudad wala kaayo nato mabati ang ipikto sa martial law, pero didto sa kabukiran, apiktado gyud kaayo ang katawhan didto kay daghan sa mga lumad ang na-displace sa ilang pagpoyo tungod sa martial law,” Calang said.

He added: “Ang martial law nakababag siya sa resumption sa peace agreement. Mao nang kami sa simbahan na-saddened gayud kami niining another one-year extension sa martial law.”

There are other sectors however that do not see anything wrong with the extension of the Mindanao martial law.

Efren Uy, a former president and now trustee of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said many businessmen in the city welcome the extension because martial law makes them feel secure.

Uy said many businessmen here earlier joined Mayor Oscar Moreno and the Regional Peace and Order Council in expressing support for the Mindanao martial law extension.

House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said the House believes that the security assessment submitted by the Armed Forces and the National Police to the President “indubitably” shows the “continuing rebellion in Mindanao,” which compels the further extension of martial law.

In his Dec. 6 letter to Congress, Duterte cited the security assessment submitted by the AFP and the PNP, indicating that rebellion still persists in Mindanao and that public safety requires the continuation of martial rule in the area.

Duterte said terrorist groups such as the Abu Sayyaf, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and Daulah Islamiyah continue to defy the government by perpetrating hostile activities during the extended period of martial law.

“A further extension of the implementation of martial law and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao will enable the AFP, the PNP, and all other law enforcement agencies to finally put an end to the ongoing rebellion in Mindanao and continue to prevent the same from escalating in other parts of the country,” Duterte stated in his letter. “We cannot afford to give the rebels further breathing room to regroup and strengthen their forces. Public safety indubitably requires such further extension in order to avoid the further loss of lives and physical harm, not only to our soldiers and the police, but also to our civilians.”

Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law on May 23, 2017, following the so-called “Marawi siege” involving the Maute Group.

At the height of the six-month Marawi conflict in July last year, the House granted Duterte’s request for martial law extension until Dec. 31, 2017.

The House and the Senate granted anew the President’s request for the extension of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus for a year, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2018. (with reports from PNA)