Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 27) — Mindanao is no longer under a state of national emergency after its peace and order situation “significantly improved,” Malacañang said Thursday.
In a statement, the Palace said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lifted Proclamation No. 55, which declared the state of national emergency on account of lawlessness and violence in Mindanao.Signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Tuesday, Proclamation No. 298 said that the conditions set in the previous declaration “have been significantly mitigated or reduced.Through successful focused military and law enforcement operations and programs that promote sustainable and inclusive peace, the government has made significant gains in improving and restoring peace and order in the region,” the proclamation stated.The current administration believes that this move would beef up Mindanao’s economic recovery.
Marcos’ predecessor Rodrigo Duterte placed Mindanao in a state of lawlessness in September 2016. Based on the document posted on the Official Gazette website, Duterte declared a state of national emergency in the region amid rampant violent and lawless acts, including “abductions, hostage-takings and murder of innocent civilians, bombing of power transmission facilities, highway robberies and extortions, attacks on military outposts, assassinations of media people and mass jailbreaks.”
The proclamation also noted that Mindanao was plagued with private armies, terrorists, religious extremists, and local warlords. Efforts from authorities to stomp out their activities were “met with stiff resistance,” it added.
