Lorenzana says “too early” to recommend extending martial law in Mindanao

August 29, 2018

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the extension of martial law in Mindanao “is an option” following the improvised bomb explosion incident in Sultan Kudarat.

“Of course, it is an option,” he said on Wednesday.

But, Lorenzana emphasized it is "too early" to make a recommendation on the matter.

“But too early in the day to make recommendation. We’ll see what happens in the next several months,” he said.

Two persons were killed while at least 34 others were wounded in an explosion in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat on Tuesday night.

It can be recalled that martial law was declared in Mindanao when the Maute-ISIS Group occupied the Marawi City on March 23, 2017, after 60 days,  the Philippine Congress President Rodrigo Duterte's request to extend it till December.

Before martial law implementation in Mindanao ended on December 2017,  Congress extended it for one year  based on a request by Rodrigo Duterte. Robina Asido/DMS