DILG to critics: MO 32 not a prelude to Martial Law

November 27, 2018

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urges communist rebels and the opposition “not to jump to their own conclusion and discredit the intent” of the recent Memorandum Order (MO) 32, saying the order will not lead to the possible declaration of Martial Law.

"Martial Law will not be declared in the country. What MO 32 will do, on the other hand, is to focus military and police presence in those areas where insurgents are active. Let's not jump into conclusions, it's counter-productive," says DILG Secretary Eduardo Año in a statement Tuesday.

According to Año, the opposition and communists are reading too much into the Order and are intentionally trying to instill fear or panic among the Filipinos "when in fact MO 32 is simply for the facilitation of the movement of troops from other parts of the country to Bicol, Samar, and Negros Island."

He says that MO 32 is simply for purposes of concentrating military and police presence in areas they are needed, as clearly stipulated in the Order, for the insurgency problem in these areas needs immediate government attention.

"The communist terrorist groups and their front organizations are crying foul over this because they know for certain that they will be decimated by government forces once these troops are deployed," he said..

"Those who are afraid with MO 32 are opponents of government who would llke to overthrow democracy," he added.

Section 1 of MO 32 states that "deployment of additional forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to suppress lawless violence and acts of terror in the provinces of Samar, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and the Bicol Region and prevent such violence from spreading and escalating elsewhere in the country."

The DILG chief said the MO will be key to facilitate the redeployment of troops from other areas to Bicol, Samar and Negros despite appeal of local residents and officials for those units to remain in place.

"Sometimes there are appeals from LGU officials opposing the departure of troops from their communities to other areas. The MO will basically make it mandatory for the DILG and the Department of the National Defense to deploy forces to Bicol, for instance," he says.

Año also belies allegations that MO 32 will lead to more abuses as he assures the preservation of human rights in its implementation.

"There are safety nets in place to make it certain that no such abuses will take place," he says.

According to him, Sections 4 and 5 of the same MO reflects the government's decisive stance against human rights violation in the context of its implementation.

Section 4 states that the constitutional rights of every individual shall be respected and given due regard by the AFP and the PNP in the implementation of the MO, while Section 5 mentions that any personnel of the AFP and the PNP found violating any foregoing constitutional rights shall be held administratively, civilly or criminally liable. DMS