MALACAÑANG is not discounting the possibility of further extending martial law in Mindanao, following the bomb explosion in Isulan town in Sultan Kudarat on Tuesday night, August 29.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Wednesday, August 29, said another martial law extension in Mindanao is an "option."
"It's an option but nandiyan 'yun. We're trying to make it as easy as possible na walang ano. But kung ganito pa rin ang nangyari, anong gagawin natin? Uupo lang tayo diyan?" Medialdea said in a chance interview in Quezon City.
(It's an option but it's already there. We're trying to make it as easy as possible that there's no extension. But if this continues, what are we supposed to do? We'll just sit there?)
"'Yung mga signs na ganito, hindi maganda 'yan. Lives in danger na. Piyesta, pasasabugan lang? How would you feel?" he added.
(Signs like this is not good. Our lives are in danger already. There's a bomb explosion while there's a feast? How would you feel?")
Sought for reaction to Medialdea's remark, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. also expressed openness to the possible extension of martial law in Mindanao.
"That's ES (Executive Secretary) speaking. [We share the] same view," Roque said in a text message.
President Rodrigo Duterte first declared 60-day martial rule in the entire Mindanao on May 23, 2017, following the siege of of Marawi City by the Maute Group, a local terrorist group inspired by the Islamic State.
Congress first extended martial law until December 31, 2017. Upon the request of Duterte, Congress again extended martial law in Mindanao until the end of 2018, despite the termination of hostilities in Marawi.
Roque assured that the government would hold accountable the individuals behind the latest bombing.
"Syempre po, kinu-kondena natin iyan at wala pong ikabubuti iyang mga ganyang pangyayari. Pero ang pangako po ng ating Pangulo, ang Mindanao po ay nasa martial law pa rin at gagawin po nating lahat para malaman kung sino ang nasa likod nitong pag-bobomba namang ito sa Sultan Kudarat," he said.
(Of course, we condemn that and such incident would not be good for us. But the President promised that Mindanao remains to be in martial law and he will do anything to know the identity of those who are behind the bombing in Sultan Kudarat.)
"Parurusahan po natin iyan. Ipaparamdam po natin sa kanila ang lakas ng ating mga batas at 'yung mensahe na hindi pipwede na hindi parusahan 'yung mga ganyang gawain," he added.
(We will punish them. We will let them feel our binding laws and our message that they could not go unpunished for the crimes they did.)
The Isulan explosion, which killed two people, was the second explosion in Mindanao in about a month.
On July 31, a van exploded at a military checkpoint in Lamitan City, Basilan, killing at least 10 people, including the driver who was later identified as having links to the Abu Sayyaf Group. (SunStar Philippines)