Marcos “lost” mandate that’s why he declared martial law, Roque says

September 21, 2018

The late dictator Ferdinand Marcos had no more mandate that is why he declared martial law unlike  President Rodrigo Duterte who is still enjoying the support of most Filipinos, Malacanang said on Friday. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement amid attempts by some quarters to compare Duterte with Marcos as the Philippines commemorated the 46th anniversary of Marcos' declaration of martial law on Sept. 21, 1972. "The President was elected by the people, being supported by the public. The President has the mandate, not like during the time when martial law was declared on September 21 40 plus years ago when our President lost already his mandate," Roque said. "So, that's a big difference. The public will revolt if there is no more democracy; our President is a product of democracy," Roque added. He said that there is no reason for Duterte to declare martial law in Luzon and Visayas. Mindanao has been under martial rule since May last year when the Maute-ISIS terrorist group attacked Marawi City. While there is martial law in Mindanao, Roque said it was very clear there was no deprivation of human rights. He said during the Marcos regime, the other branches of government were not functioning - there was no Congress and no independent judiciary. "All of our institutions now are functioning and the President even strengthened them because our President is not only a lawyer, he's a prosecutor who wanted to make sure that the laws, particularly the criminal law, are being implemented," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS