Palace: No plan yet to lift state of emergency in Maguindanao

Maguindanao province in southern Philippines is likely to remain under state of emergency for quite sometime as Malacañang is not keen on lifting the declaration soon following the Supreme Court’s decision upholding it. Communications Secretary Ricky Carandanang said feedback from Maguindanao residents showed that they want the province to remain under state of emergency. He said they got the feedback from consultations conducted with the local government units and residents there. “Mukhang mas gusto pa nila na ipanatiling state of emergency sa ngayon dun sa Maguindanao," he told reporters at a press briefing Monday. “There are still some armed groups roaming around, the situation is not completely under control." In late November 2009, then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo placed Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City under state of emergency through Proclamation 1946 following the massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan town. The Supreme Court, in a decision promulgated last June 7, upheld the proclamation. Under a state of emergency, the military is given the authority to impose curfews, set up checkpoints and conduct searches of homes. The proclamation intended to “prevent and suppress the occurrence of several other incidents of lawless violence." The petition to nullify the state of emergency was filed by a group led by suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Zaldy Ampatuan, one of the suspects in the massacre, touted as the worst politically-motivated violent incident in Philippine history. The areas covered by the proclamation are known strongholds of the Ampatuan clan. Carandang said the consultations are ongoing, and that it will be the LGUs which will determine and request Malacañang when they want the declaration to be lifted. - Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News