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Remonde: Palace had 1-week timetable for martial law


Now it can be told: Malacañang had a one-week timetable for the imposition of martial law over Maguindanao province, in the wake of last month’s massacre and a supposed rebellion there. Press Secretary Cerge Remonde made the admission Sunday even as he said the lifting of martial law in Maguindanao should quiet the Palace’s critics who he said had been hitting the move. “It can be told, when we decided to declare martial law may timetable kami isang linggo. Proven natin karamihan na critic ng gobyerno walang logic at basis, they attack for the sake of attacking and opposing even without basis (It can be told, that when we decided to declare martial law, we had a timetable of one week. So this proves most criticisms against martial law were without logic and basis. They attacked for the sake of attacking and opposing even without basis)," Remonde said in an interview on dzBB radio. While he did not elaborate on the reason for the timetable, Remonde’s admission was in contrast to last week’s claims by Palace officials that there is no definite timetable for martial law over Maguindanao. Palace officials had said martial law over the province would last depending on the situation on the ground. On Saturday, Malacañang announced President Gloria Arroyo lifted martial law over Maguindanao effective 9 p.m. Saturday – eight days after imposing the iron rule. Remonde said that with martial law already lifted, the Palace’s critics should stop their tirades, adding the lifting of martial law will belie their claims of a no-election scenario. “Tayo nananawagan sa kaibigan nating pulitiko sana they will stop grandstanding at the expense of the nation (We call on our friends in the political arena to stop grandstanding at the expense of the nation)," he said. Arrests, searches to continue Remonde said police and military forces will continue arrest and search operations in Maguindanao, but will have to follow normal processes of getting arrest and search warrants. [See: Martial law in Maguindanao to be lifted Saturday] He said they see no problem in getting the warrants, as the courts in the area are already functioning. “Under the circumstances since martial law is lifted we have to go through the normal process of securing search warrants and arrest warrants. Hopefully, madali makakuha tayo (Hopefully we can get an easier time getting them)," he said. When martial law was still in effect, Remonde once commented that Malacañang would lift the rule only if the objectives of the military and police commanders on the ground are met. The objectives: • The “rebellion" in Maguindanao has stopped; • The suspects in the Nov. 23 massacre have been arrested; • Charges have been filed against the suspects in the massacre; • Witnesses of the massacre have been secured; • Maguidanao has been restored partially or fully to civilian government; and • Illegal armed groups have been disarmed. At last Saturday's press conference, Ermita said all the above six conditions had been met, prompting the administration to lift martial law imposition in Maguindanao. - LBG, GMANews.TV

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