Push Admin

Martial law in Mindanao may harm peace process, scholar warns

Article (news)

Christian Esguerra, ABS-CBN News

MANILA—President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s martial law declaration showed decisiveness but, if mishandled, could also give rise to more Islamic extremists and compromise peace efforts in southern Philippines, a Mindanao-based scholar said Wednesday.Duterte warned that martial law in Mindanao would be &quot;harsh&quot;, similar to the one declared by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr. nearly half a century ago.But Marcos&#x27; iron fist rule &quot;fueled the rebellion&quot; in the south, said lawyer Benedicto Bacani, executive director of the Cotabato-based Institute for Autonomy and Governance.Duterte is now working to address the Mindanao problem by fully implementing separate peace agreements with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).&quot;This martial law has to be sensitive to the historical injustice suffered by the Moro people, kasi baka mabuksan na naman yung mga sugat na yun,&quot; Bacani told ABS-CBN News.&quot;We have to be careful na hindi nga ito magba-backfire and it cause more damage than good.&quot;<div>PEACE PROCESS</div>Duterte placed the entire Mindanao region under martial law following clashes between government troops and the ISIS-inspired Maute group in Marawi City Tuesday.Bacani said the president should clarify the scope of his declaration and take into account existing and ongoing peace efforts, including those with communist rebels.Giving the military &quot;blanket authority&quot; will also &quot;weaken the system of checks and balances,&quot; he said. &quot;It can hurt the peace process,&quot; he said. &quot;’Pag ganun, baka masagasaan even those groups that are in a peace process in government.&quot;Bacani said human rights violations that might be committed under martial rule could be used by terrorists to gain public acceptance and support. &quot;Sasabihin nila, yung military or police or government are no better than us,&quot; he said.<div>SAFEGUARDS</div>Bacani said Duterte cannot implement a Marcos-style martial rule given existing safeguards in the constitution, which requires the president to report to Congress within 48 hours.The suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus should also be done separately, the lawyer noted.Under the law, any citizen can also question the basis of the martial law proclamation before the Supreme Court.

MANILA—President Rodrigo Duterte's martial law declaration showed decisiveness but, if mishandled, could also give rise to more Islamic extremists and compromise peace efforts in southern Philippines, a Mindanao-based scholar said Wednesday.

MANILA—President Rodrigo Duterte's martial law declaration showed decisiveness but, if mishandled, could also give rise to more Islamic extremists and compromise peace efforts in southern Philippines, a Mindanao-based scholar said Wednesday.

Martial law in Mindanao may harm peace process, scholar warns

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Focus

Martial law in Mindanao may harm peace process, scholar warns

Christian Esguerra,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 24, 2017 08:18 PM PHT

Read More:

martial law

Mindanao

habeas corpus

Marawi City

Maute group

Institute for Autonomy and Governance

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.