Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 5) — The Department of Interior and Local Government on Thursday supported the Defense department’s recommendation not to extend martial law in Mindanao for the sake of the island group’s economy.
“We also believe that the lifting of Martial Law will be advantageous to the economy as it will signal the full return to normalcy and the end to perceived security risks of investing and travelling to Mindanao,” said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año in a statement.
He added, “The lifting of Martial Law would definitely bring in more local and foreign investments and increase tourist arrivals in the region.”
President Duterte first declared martial law in Mindanao in May 2017 after terrorists attacked Marawi City, Lanao del Sur. Since then, the President sought for extensions in 2018 and 2019 citing the need to quell rebellion in the South.
Año agreed that the purpose of martial law has been accomplished.
“In the last two years and eight months that martial law is in effect in Mindanao, our military and police forces in the region have significantly degraded the forces and capabilities of the Maute and other threat groups that they no longer have any capacity to launch a Marawi-type attack,” said Año.
He said some guerilla fronts and communist groups were dismantled during martial rule
“Our local government units, through their respective local peace and order councils from the regional down to the barangay level, are also now more engaged and are actively working with their counterparts in the security sector to carry out peace and security measures in Mindanao,” he said. “In fact, there is a 30% drop in crime in the BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) alone.”
READ: Defense chief recommends non-extension of Mindanao martial law
