Martial law may not reach 60 days, govt hints

Malacañang on Tuesday said the martial law in Maguindanao may be lifted even before the Congress or the Supreme Court could decide on its legality. In a briefing after the National Security Cabinet (NSC) cluster meeting in Malacañang, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said it would be better to wait for developments in the next few days as the government continues to asses the situation in Maguindanao. “Tingnan na lang natin (let’s see) in the next few days… It [lifting of martial law] could happen depending on the situation of the ground," he said. Remonde refused to give details from the NSC cluster meeting, saying such information was “classified." President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, through Proclamation 1959, placed Maguindanao under martial law last Friday night to contain an alleged rebellion by armed groups identified with the powerful Ampatuan clan.

This page requires a higher version browser
The Ampatuans, once allied with President Arroyo, are blamed for the grisly massacre of 57 people, including 31 journalists, in Maguindanao last November 23. The mass killing has been considered as the worst case of political violence in the country. Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales expressed confidence that the declaration would not be extended beyond its constitutionally mandated 60-day period. “As far as I’m concerned, as far as the Armed Forces are concerned, we think that we don’t need any extension in accomplishing what we need to do," Gonzales said Tuesday after meeting with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc in Manila. Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno was likewise optimistic that the martial law proclamation woill be lifted soon with the filing of complaints against the Ampatuans and discoveries of assorted firearms allegedly belonging to them and their private armies. "The cases are being filed, both on one hand for rebellion and on the other hand for the multiple murder. I think we are seeing some progress," Puno told Senate reporters after he attended the budget hearing for his department. The Congress will hold a joint session on Wednesday to decide whether to extend or revoke Proclamation 1959. With each chamber given 10 hours to interpellate, the session – which many expect will be a showdown between Arroyo’s allies and critics – is expected to last until Monday next week, at the earliest. - with Kim Tan and Amita Legaspi/KBK, GMANews.TV