President Rodrigo Duterte wants to extent martial law in Mindanao until the end of the year, a Malacanang spokesman said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
Duterte believes that the threat of the “existing rebellion” in Mindanao will not end on July 22, the last day of the 60-day martial law.
“Upon a thorough personal assessment and taking into accounts the reports of the Department of National Defense (DND), I have come to the conclusion that the existing rebellion in Mindanao will not be quelled until July 22,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella read Duterte’s letter to Congress.
“For this reason and because public safety requires it, I call upon Congress to extend until the 31st of December 2017,” he added.
The Congress will convene on Saturday to discuss the President’s request.
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