The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday quelled speculation that the terror attack in Marawi City was orchestrated by the government to justify President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial rule in Mindanao.
“What would we get from (doing that)?” Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, PNP spokesperson, said in a news conference at Camp Crame.
He said those accusing the Duterte administration of plotting the attack should back their claim with evidence.
“Huwag tayo mag-isip ng masama,” he said. “Mag-isip tayo kung paano maayos ‘yung bansa.“
(“Let’s not be negative in our thinking. Let’s think kof how we can put the country in order.”)
“If we keep on dividing the people by speculation, they should come out and show proof,” he added.
Carlos also stressed that PNP and military personnel on the ground had been doing their best to protect the people of the terror-stricken Marawi and restore normalcy in the city.
“Mas mapapabilis kapag tayo ay nagtulong-tulong na alisin ang Maute at Abu Sayyaf groups,” he said.
(“Things will work out faster if we can help each other eject the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups.”)
Since being elected president in July, Duterte has mentioned several times in his public speeches about the possibility of his declaring martial law in the country.
On May 23, he placed all of Mindanao’s 27 provinces and 33 cities under martial law following the armed clashes between government forces and Maute bandits, who had pledged allegiance to the international terrorist group Islamic State.
Under the Constitution, martial law would only be in effect for 60 days. But Duterte said he might consider extending it for a year and expanding its coverage to the Visayas, and even Luzon, if the terrorists should reach those areas. /atm