ISIS threats for real

Perhaps ominous of things to come, President Rodrigo Duterte forgot to announce who would be the “caretaker” committee to take charge of the government operations while he will be out of the country for at least six days. It was only a day after President Duterte flew from Davao City for Moscow that Malacanang Palace announced Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno and newly appointed Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu were designated to co-head the “caretaker” committee.

In his departure statement last Monday, President Duterte merely talked about his state visit to Moscow and how he intends to bring to a higher level the existing bilateral relations of the Philippines with the Russian Federation.

As it turned out, the scheduled four-day state visit to Moscow was short-lived. Following the outbreak of lawless violence in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur a few hours after he left the country last Monday, President Duterte decided to immediately return to the Philippines. Likewise aborted because of the emerging situation in Mindanao was the planned two-day “private” time of the President at the United Arab Emirates in stop-over flight before his return to Manila.

Spending less than 24 hours in Moscow, it was the costliest junket ever for the 11-month-old administration of President Duterte. With 16 of his 23 Cabinet members in his official and secondary delegation in tow, and over a hundred of secondary delegation paid for by taxpayers’ money.

After a 13-hour chartered flight back to Manila, the 72-year-old President promised his scheduled working visit to Japan on June 4 to 7 will be his last this year.

Although the President left Moscow hurriedly, he was able to squeeze in face-to-face talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader obliged to advance his meeting at Kremlin with President Duterte who has publicly admitted Putin is his “idol.” Upon his arrival in Manila, President Duterte expressed his deep gratitude to the Russian leader for having indulged him to more than one hour and a half discussion of mutual interests to both countries. 

Some of Duterte's Cabinet members in the official delegation led by newly appointed Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre stayed behind to complete their respective official business scheduled with their Russian counterpart officials.

Incidentally, both Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Año and Philippine National Police (PNP) Director-General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa joined the President in Moscow. For whatever reasons why they were in Moscow remain unclear. His two top security officials were not here in our country when the Marawi siege erupted.

No wonder the Chief Executive was in a hurry to get back to the Philippines.

The Defense Secretary was there to sign the defense cooperation which, among other things, would pave the way for “soft” loans on the purchase of firearms for the AFP and the PNP. Perhaps, Año and Bato were there for the photo opportunity with President Putin if President Duterte proceeded to witness the signing of the bilateral agreements in Moscow.

Before boarding the presidential plane back to Manila, the President invoked his powers as Commander-in-chief to place the entire Mindanao under martial law. The President was amused to note he signed Proclamation 216 not in Manila but while he was still in Moscow.

This was not the first time President Duterte cancelled a scheduled state visit on account of an emerging situation that threatens national security.

When he felt it requires him to be physically present, the President first cancelled a state visit to Brunei Darussalam following terrorist bombing incident in Davao City on Sept. 2 last year. At least 14 people were killed and scores injured by improvised explosive device left in a crowded public market in Davao City. Three suspects with links to dreaded local terror Abu Sayyaf group were subsequently arrested.

On Sept.4, President Duterte issued Proclamation No. 55 in which he declared a “state of national emergency on account of lawless violence in Mindanao.” The President placed the entire Mindanao, including his home city in Davao, under military and police control. To this day, the state of lawlessness in Mindanao has not been lifted.

While it may seem to be a spur of the moment decision to cut short his Moscow visit, President Duterte’s action to impose martial law has long been in his announced plan of action to curb lawless violence in Mindanao.

Time and again the former Davao City Mayor has been warning terrorists and other threat groups he will not hesitate to use all his powers under the country’s 1987 Constitution to quell and suppress lawless violence in Mindanao and elsewhere in the country.

The Marawi siege is the last straw so to speak that has now prompted President Duterte to make good his martial law threat. After the Abu Sayyaf-backed Maute terrorists group raised the black flags of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) all over Marawi City, the President did not wait a minute longer to impose martial law in Mindanao.

As stated in Proclamation 216, the President stressed the martial law period would be limited up to 60 days only.

In his arrival speech and press conference last Wednesday afternoon, President Duterte clarified this 60-day period can either be shortened or extended depending on how soon the government forces stabilize the peace and order situation in Mindanao. But in case it worsens, the President vowed to even expand the coverage of martial law nationwide.

The President at this stage expressed his readiness to push the envelope. Of course, the President hastily added, a nationwide martial law should conform with the constitutional requirements to inform Congress within 48 hours.

The martial law proclamation is expected to breeze through in the 17^th Congress before the first regular sessions adjourn sine die next week. The President’s allies in the PDP-Laban led by Senate president Aquilino Pimentel III and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez have the super majority to back them up. Both Pimentel and Alvarez were in the official entourage in Moscow where the martial law proclamation was issued. 

We can only hope and pray that President Duterte’s fears and concern over possible spread out of ISIS threats in Luzon and Visayas won’t come to pass.