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'Gulpi de gulat?' SolGen says martial law gives Duterte the power of '!'

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/14/solicitor-general-jose-calida-2017-061417.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Solicitor General Jose Calida talks to the media after the first day of the oral arguments on petitions to nullify President Duterte’s martial law declaration in Mindanao at the Supreme Court on 13 June 2017. <cite>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</cite></div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA - Solicitor General Jose Calida believes martial law is giving President Rodrigo Duterte &#x27;psychological&#x27; advantage in the campaign against terrorists in Mindanao particularly in Marawi City, where Islamic State-linked terror groups have been engaged in gunfights with state forces for more than three weeks now.During oral arguments on cases against martial law on Wednesday, Calida told the Supreme Court that Dutere had to declare martial law as the President&#x27;s calling out power, which he used when he declared a state of national emergency in September 2016 after the Davao City blast, was not enough to address rebellion in Mindanao. Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio then asked Calida to differentiate the President&#x27;s calling out and martial law powers. Petitioners had earlier pointed out that Duterte could have addressed the conflict in Marawi without imposing military rule.&quot;So what does the martial law powers give the President actually?&quot; asked Carpio. &quot;Like what I said, your honor, it&#x27;s... psychological probably. An exclamation point,&quot; answered Calida.&quot;Gulpi de gulat (surprising action)?&quot; Carpio quipped.&quot;Yes, your honor. &#x27;So you better listen to me now cause I&#x27;m imposing martial law,&#x27;&quot; the Solicitor General responded.But Carpio pointed out that members of the Maute group, who have threatened to burn down Marawi City, would still not be frightened even if the government flexed its muscles that way.Calida admitted that the &quot;hardcore&quot; Maute group members would not be frightened but that martial law may cause fear to some of the terrorists at the very least. &quot;The hardcore will not be frightened. They believe that when day die they will go to heaven and be given 72 virgins,&quot; he told Carpio. President Duterte declared martial law in all of Mindanao on May 23, after clashes broke out between government troops and members of the Maute and Abu Sayyaf terror groups.In justifying martial rule, Duterte told Congress in a report that the terrorists were planning to <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/26/17/duterte-maute-group-abu-sayyaf-want-to-establish-islamic-province-in-mindanao">create </a>an Islamic State province in Mindanao. As of June 12, 286 people have died in the firefights, among them 202 terror suspects, 58 government troops and 26 civilians.

Solicitor General Jose Calida believes martial law is giving President Rodrigo Duterte 'psychological' advantage in the campaign against terrorists in Mindanao, particularly in Marawi City which has been besieged by the Maute group.

Solicitor General Jose Calida believes martial law is giving President Rodrigo Duterte 'psychological' advantage in the campaign against terrorists in Mindanao, particularly in Marawi City which has been besieged by the Maute group.