President Rodrigo Duterte will declare martial law again if another rebellion similar to what is happening in Marawi City erupts, Malacañang said on Sunday.
“The President likewise made it clear that if and when there is another similar incident of rebellion, when the public safety requires it, the President and Commander-in-Chief would again declare martial law, and police power given to the executive by no less than our Constitution,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
“As we said in previous occasions, public safety is foremost in the President’s mind, in light of the continuing rebellion in Marawi, and martial law is a necessary response to address the prevailing reign of terror and its potential spillover to the rest of Mindanao,” Abella said.
Meanwhile, Abella said the President will pull out government troops in Marawi if the Supreme Court sees that there is no sufficient factual basis for his declaration of martial law in Mindanao.
Duterte placed the whole of Mindanao under martial law on May 23 after the Maute Group took control of Marawi City and killed security forces and civilians.
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