Defense chief denies martial law looming due to COVID-19 uptick

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Policemen check the vaccination cards of travelers passing through the San Jose Del Monte and Quezon City border on Jan. 6, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/01/06/20220106-covid-border-control-jc-15.jpg"/><figcaption>Policemen check the vaccination cards of travelers passing through the San Jose Del Monte and Quezon City border on Jan. 6, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday denied an online rumor that government would supposedly declare martial law to stump a spike in new COVID-19 cases.In a voice clip spreading on Messenger, an anonymous woman urged the public to stock up on goods as she claimed, without proof, that the country would be paced under military rule.&quot;Rumor about declaring ML (martial law) is fake news, not true,&quot; Lorenzana said in a message to reporters.The Philippines on Thursday reported 17,220 new coronavirus infections and its <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/06/22/ph-logs-17220-new-covid-cases-369pct-positivity-rate" target="_blank">highest ever</a> COVID-19 positivity rate yet at 36.9 percent.Authorities this week upgraded Metro Manila and nearby Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal provinces under COVID-19 Alert Level 3.The third alert in a 5-level system reduces the operating capacity of businesses and bans face-to-face classes, contact sports, funfairs, and casinosThe COVID-19 task force is set to meet on Thursday afternoon.A recommendation for <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/05/22/ph-mulls-nationwide-stay-at-home-order-for-unvaccinated" target="_blank">nationwide mobility restrictions</a> on unvaccinated people is a &quot;possible&quot; topic of the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said.

Defense Secretary Lorenzana denied an online rumor that government would supposedly declare martial law to stump a spike in new COVID-19 cases.

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Defense chief denies martial law looming due to COVID-19 uptick

Defense chief denies martial law looming due to COVID-19 uptick

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 06, 2022 06:39 PM PHT

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