Up to AFP if martial law extension in Mindanao is needed: Andanar

July 16, 2017

It is up to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) whether they will recommend to  President Rodrigo Duterte to extend martial law in Mindanao, said Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar in a radio interview on Sunday. “It’s up to the AFP if they need to extend martial law or maybe they can do it without martial law because the numbers of the enemy have been reduced,” said Andanar over dzMM. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he had given his recommendation to Duterte last Thursday, according to a text message to reporters of the defense beat. He did  not reveal what he recommended. In a report from Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP public affairs office chief,  the number of  Maute-Abu Sayyaf gunmen killed since fighting began in Marawi City on May 23 reached 405 casualties while government fatalities were 95. Forty-five civilians have been killed, Arevalo said. Andanar said Duterte had said that fighting will end 10-15 days and he told the meeting of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency that it is 15-20 days. “But the president will have the last say,” said Andanar. DMS