Lorenzana not inclined to recommend martial law extension in Mindanao

November 11, 2019

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Monday he is not inclined to recommend another extension of martial law in Mindanao even as he is  waiting for the recommendation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP and the Philippine National Police.

Martial law in Mindanao is set to end by December 31, 2019.

"We are waiting for the recommendation of the armed forces and the PNP. It will defend on their recommendation but if it's just me, I will not recommend anymore the extension... its been too long and we can do our job," Lorenzana told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo.

"If the Senate or the Congress can pass the Human Security Act that will give teeth to our law enforcement. Then that's a better arrangement than martial law," he added.

"We'll evaluate the reasons of the military and the police and act accordingly," he said.

It can be recalled that Mindanao was placed under martial law when the Maute/ISIS terrorist group occupied the Marawi City on May 2017.

Since then martial law implementation in Mindanao was extended three times. Robina Asido/DMS