DND says Lorenzana “suggested” martial law after Davao City bombing last year

May 31, 2017

The Department of National Defense (DND) said Secretary Delfin Lorenzana “suggested” the declaration of martial law after the Davao City bombing last year and not during the Marawi City incident. “We go back in time, during Davao bombing that was discussed and he (Lorenzana) along with National Security Adviser (NSA) (Hermogenes) Esperon suggested to him (Duterte) that we might want to consider declaring martial (law) in Davao at that time, Arsenio Andolong, DND public affairs chief, said. “After a lot of things happened when they were in Russia, the president decided without consulting with them, but if he is present in front of the president that time according to secretary of national defense he would have supported it. But technically he is not the one who suggested it to the president to declare martial law on May 23. It’s like the president made his decision by that time, and it was just triggered by Marawi,” he added. When asked who recommended the declaration of martial law to the president, Andolong emphasized Duterte also has his own advisory group. “I don’t know (who made the recommendation) if you could remember when they conducted a meeting, he (Duterte) has his own close in advisory group that includes Bong Go and other…, so when the president call Secretary Lorenzana and Esperon, alright I’ve decided to declare martial law, that is what happened, but I don’t know who give the direct recommendation to declare martial law on that night,” Andolong said. In a statement issued Tuesday, “Lorenzana clarifies that during an executive session in the Senate on 29 May 2017, what he said was that the government security forces can contain the situation in Marawi City even without Martial Law.” “However, he (Lorenzana) emphasized Martial Law is imperative to once and for all address security concerns in the entire Mindanao immediately and decisively,” the statement said. “The situation currently being dealt with by state security forces goes beyond Marawi City. President Duterte’s imposition of Martial Law aims to put an end to the long running rebellion in various provinces in the south, as evidenced by the incidents that happened in Zamboanga, Davao, Bohol, Lanao, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi and Maguindanao,” it said. “As the President has repeatedly said, “if I declare Martial Law, I will end everything,” referring to threats posed by ISIS- linked local and foreign terrorist groups whose network covers the entire Mindanao,” it added. (Robina Asido/DMS)