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Palace sings different tune: Duterte won't defy SC on martial law

May 29, 2017 | 4:45am

Palace sings different tune: Duterte won't defy SC on martial law

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, right, addresses troops during his visit to the 2nd Mechanized Brigade Friday, May 26, 2017 on the outskirts of Iligan city in southern Philippines. Duterte told the troops fighting Muslim militants for the control of southern Marawi city to use martial law powers to defeat the Islamic State group-linked extremists. At left is Armed Forces chief and martial law administrator Gen. Eduardo Ano and at center is Defense Chief Delfin Lorenzana. AP Photo/Bullit Marquez

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will not defy the Supreme Court on the implementation of martial law in Mindanao, Malacañang clarified Monday.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said Duterte was just emphasizing that the military and police are the ones who are truly aware of the situation on the ground.

READ: Duterte 'won’t listen' to Congress, SC on martial law

"He (Duterte) is not disrespecting the Supreme Court," Abella told reporters in Malacañang.

"He will listen and there will have to be proper dialogue between the president as commander-in-chief. They will have an ongoing conversation regarding that," he added.

Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao after Islamic State-linked terrorists from the Maute group launched attacks in Marawi City.

LIVE Updates: Martial Law in Mindanao

During his visit to military forces in Sulu last Saturday, Duterte said the martial law would continue until security forces declare that the country is safe.

“I will not listen to others. The Supreme Court, Congress, they are not here,” Duterte said.

“Are they the ones dying and losing blood, bleeding, hemorrhaging because there is no help, no reinforcement? It’s not them," he added.

READ: Marawi crisis: What we know—and don't know—so far

Here are the exact words of Duterte:

And I have been warning everybody: 'Wag ninyo akong pilitin. Do not create a situation that would be rife for a declaration of martial law.

Ngayon, kailan ito matapos? Ewan ko. Sabi nila 60 days. Punta ako sa Congress, I don't know. Sabihin ng Supreme Court they will examine into the factual, bakit? I don't know. Hindi sila sundalo. Hindi nila alam kung ano ang nasa baba. Ang sundalo ang nagsabi sa akin, medyo delikado na mayor. And pulis ang nagsasabi na hirap na sila.

Ang attention nila, marami nang durugista, maraming kriminal, at hahaluan mo ng terorismo, sabi nila, bahala ka mayor, basta 'yan ang sitwasyon. E kung gano'n ang sitwasyon, I have no other recourse but to declare martial law. When will it end ? I do not know. Hanggang hindi sinabi ng pulis pati Armed Forces na safe na ang Philippines, this martial law will continue. HIndi ako makikinig sa iba.

Ang Supreme Court at mga Kongresman, wala sila dito. Bakit sila ba ang nagpapakamatay? Sila ba ang naghirap dito? Sila ba 'yung, they will suffer the wounds of war? Sila ba 'yung nagtitiis? Sila ba 'yung namamatay na nauubusan ng dugo, bleeding, naghe-hemorrhage kaya (lang) walang tulong, walang reinforcement. Hindi sila.

Ngayon, kung sabihin ng Armed Forces, wala kong, wala naman sundalo na gusto ng giyera lahat ng panahon. May mga pamilya tayo, we have to go home to our families. And how about our children? Pero kung sabihin ng Armed Forces, pati pulis, na sir hindi pa talaga panahon, mas lalala 'to, then I will just declare, you know? Don't f*** with me.