Palace won't lift state of emergency in Maguindanao
MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang on Tuesday announced that it will not lift the state of emergency in 3 areas in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which was prompted by the massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao province last November 23.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde told reporters that the Cabinet has approved the National Security Council's recommendation to keep the state of emergency in Cotabato City, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces.
Remonde said the state of emergency is still needed by the police and the military to maintain peace and order in the three areas, particularly in Maguindanao, which was placed under a state of martial law for at least a week due to the massacre and rebellion allegedly led by members of the powerful Ampatuan clan.
The martial law proclamation was issued December 5 and was lifted on December 12.
Malacañang said martial law was lifted after security forces maintained normalcy in the province and arrested suspects in the massacre and rebellion.
Millions of ammunition and hundreds of high-powered firearms, allegedly owned by the Ampatuans, were also seized during week when martial law was in effect in the province. -- With a report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
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Good Decision
I agree that the government should extend the state of emergency in that part of Mindanao. The authorities should be on top of the situation at all cost to secure our fellow filipinos there. We just do hope that no favor should be given to other clans that may soon assert themselves to be above the law. Enough of clan and private army dominations. Let the state of emergency stay for now. It should not be taken as an issue to overshadow the real problem in the region.
http://alxjm.com/2009/12/13/maguindanao-massacre-the-real-issue-not-mart...