MANILA, Philippines – President Duterte is not planning to declare martial law despite proclaiming a state of lawlessness in the country and talking about suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said yesterday.
“It will not happen. I know him, he will not do it,” Alvarez assured the public.
He was responding to fears expressed by opposition congressmen that the administration is apparently creating a scenario of violence and lawlessness that could lead to the proclamation of martial law.
Former president Fidel Ramos, whom Duterte calls his “critic and supporter,” has said he does not believe Duterte would impose martial rule.
Ramos said the people rejected martial law in 1986 when they drove away the Marcoses from Malacañang.
However, opposition congressmen said while the people forced the Marcoses from power, Duterte elevated the late dictator to the status of hero when he allowed his burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
For Rep. Gary Alejano of party-list group Magdalo, the President’s decision to have Marcos buried at the cemetery for heroes was intended to gauge public reaction to “stronger authoritarian measures.”
“If the people accepted the Libingan burial, then they might accept martial law,” Alejano said.
Rep. Tom Villarin of Akbayan said Duterte’s proclamation of a state of lawlessness and his talk of suspending the writ of habeas corpus and possibly imposing martial law are manifestations of the President’s “increasing Marcosian tendencies.”
“We should be vigilant against these before it is too late,” he said.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said suspension of the writ of habeas corpus means authorities can arrest and detain indefinitely anyone without a warrant.
The next step after the writ’s suspension is martial law, he said.
Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa has said the writ’s suspension would make the job of the police in running after drug suspects easier.
On the other hand, critics said suspending the writ in connection with the anti-drug campaign is not necessary since most suspects are killed for allegedly resisting arrest and firing at policemen.
Party-list group Akbayan urged Duterte “to stop abetting the sanitation of the Marcos history by glorifying and honoring a murderous despot.”
“Duterte can never simply reduce the Marcos burial to a question of legality – even as laws exist, such as the Marcos human rights victims’ compensation law recognizing that Marcos is anything but a hero. “But this act of patronage for a family that contributed to the President’s campaign kitty is only the latest in a growing list of actuations that point to a worrying and very costly tendency for an authoritarian bent,” the group said.
The group vowed to fight the President’s alleged authoritarian tendencies.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana assured the public that the current security situation does not yet warrant the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus.
Lorenzana gave the assurance amid speculations that the supposed rebellion in Lanao and the recovery of an improvised explosive device (IED) near the US embassy in Manila could be part of the administration’s laying the groundwork for declaring martial law.
“The President said something to that effect last week, but what I am seeing here in our efforts against the Maute group is just a normal military operation,” Lorenzana said.
He said the discovery of an IED near the US embassy is not enough ground to justify the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus.
Should Malacañang ask for his opinion on the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, Lorenzana said he would advise the President not to do it because everything is under control.
Lagman earlier said the fighting in Lanao and the recovery of an IED near the US embassy could be a smokescreen for the government to justify the suspension of the writ.
Experts questioned the recovery of an IED near the US embassy, saying although the bomb was rigged, the phone attached to it as a triggering device cannot receive a call as the areas surrounding the embassy are jammed.