PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde on Tuesday, November 6, expressed support for martial law in Mindanao as he cited a roughly 30-percent decline in the region's crime rate.
Albayalde said the crime rate in Mindanao went down to 5.92 in the period from January to September this year compared to 8.79 in 2017, a decline of 32 percent.
“We can attribute that basically to the imposition of martial law at ‘yung martial law naman doon it's just strengthening the peace and order operations like the checkpoints, ‘yung sita natin, ‘yung operations ng military, yun lang naman ang basic,” he said.
The PNP chief did not cite additional figures on the crime volume in the area.
Albayalde maintained that there is no oppression of human rights in Mindanao as claimed by various groups.
He said based on reports, Mindanaoans are inclined to support a further extension of martial law.
“Well una nakakuha tayo ng mga information but based on... not actually survey but, the public mas gusto nga nila ‘yung martial law doon sa Mindanao, mas gusto nila ma-extend ‘yung martial law sa Mindanao,” said Albayalde.
(We have information that the public prefers another extension of martial law in Mindanao.)
He said the PNP will fully support President Rodrigo Duterte in case he would seek the further extension of martial law in Mindanao.
For now, Albayalde said they have yet to get any directive from the Malacañang to state their position on the matter.
Earlier, the Malacañang said the possible request for the extension of martial law in Mindanao depends on the recommendation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
AFP spokesperson Colonel Noel Detoyato said the military leadership is still gathering information on the ground in order for them to decide whether or not to recommend the extension of martial law.
Duterte declared a 60-day martial law in the entire Mindanao on May 23, 2017 shortly after an armed conflict in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur.
Martial law was extended twice, until the end of 2017 at first and then further to the end of 2018. (SunStar Philippines)