AFP: Martial law may be lifted before year-end
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 12/11/2009 4:04 PM
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MANILA, Philippines - A military spokesman said Friday that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Proclamation No. 1959, declaring martial law and suspending the writ of habeas corpus in some parts of Maguindanao province may be lifted before the end of the year.
Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman, said that based on the military's initial assessment, some of the objectives in declaring martial law have already been accomplished.
Brawner said a total of 67 suspects in the alleged rebellion have already been arrested, including former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and other members of the powerful political clan.
He said peace and order in the province seems to have been restored, and they are slowly restoring the judicial system in the areas affected by the martial law proclamation.
The military spokesman added that several arms cache, including firearms allegedly used in the massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan town last November 23, have already been seized during several raids and search operations, majority of which were conducted in the Ampatuans' stronghold in Shariff Aguak town.
Brawner said there has been no let up in efforts to look for more hidden arms cache, as they want to take advantage of the martial law declaration.
He said the military and the police have also intensified efforts to locate more than 160 suspects in the massacre.
Congress won't revoke martial law
Meanwhile, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Malacañang remains confident that majority of the members of Congress will ratify President Arroyo's martial law proclamation.
"We remain confident that Congress, after hearing the president's panel, will uphold the prerogative of the president to employ all means available for her," Remonde said.
President Arroyo placed some parts of Maguindanao under a state of martial law on December 5 due to an alleged looming rebellion led by the Ampatuan clan.
Remonde said that 7 days after martial law was imposed in the province, security forces had recovered 1,013 firearms and 591,000 rounds of ammunition.
He said the seizure would have been impossible to accomplish without the martial law declaration.
"These were extraordinary problems that call for extraordinary solutions. Unfortunately, a vocal minority joined agitators outside and inside Congress in condemnation, and the crisis in Maguindanao has become a fresh political propaganda for them," the press secretary said.
Remonde added that fears of possible military abuse during the imposition of martial law should have already been doused. He said that since December 5, not a single complaint of abuse by the security forces has been reported.
"The government is taking care of the [people's] rights... There is not a single example of abuse in the imposition of martial law," he insisted.
He said fears of martial law "are exaggerated," adding that the government has exercised prudence in the arrests made against members of the Ampatuan clan. With reports from Jay Ruiz and Ron Gagalac, ABS-CBN News
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