Martial law favored by Cotabato bishops as 'last resort'
MANILA - Catholic bishops in Cotabato City are in favor of the declaration placing Maguindanao under martial law, but only as a last resort, saying the situation in the province is "very complex."
In a report at the Web site of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo said legal and illegal firearms in the province have proliferated "incredibly," and as a result the cycle of violence has worsened and merits a significant move from the authorities. Quevedo has jurisdiction over Maguindanao in the Catholic church.
"Since it (martial law) has been declared, let it be. I let the lawyers debate it. I pray Martial Law resolve the abnormal situation and deal swift justice for the victims," Quevedo was quoted as saying.
Quevedo said violence in the province has affected the peace process. He also said that justice is "hardly impossible to commit" because the credibility of the courts have "long been questionable."
"I do not know if all other recourse to resolve the above situation, particularly the appalling and most dreadful crime of Nov. 23 that cries out to heaven, would be adequate," he was quoted as saying.
"The complexity and the abnormality of the situation and the need for swift justice for 57 brutally massacred innocent civilians would dictate an extraordinary measure," he said.
However, the CBCP report said Quevedo expressed apprehension that martial law may result to violation of human rights due to the use of weapons in imposing the rule.
Quevedo also said that in pursuing justice for the victims of the November 23 massacre, the accused should not be deprived of justice.
"A wrong cannot be made right by another wrong. Justice is to be pursued in a just way," he said.
He also said that martial law may be necessary only for the "decisive resolution" of the problems in Maguindanao, as last resort.
"The longer it is exercised, the more likely it would be for human rights to be violated and for weapons to be used for evil," he added.
Meanwhile, Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Colin Bagaporo said that he is confident that rule of law will prevail with Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer at the helm. Ferrer, Armed Forces' Eastern Mindanao Command chief, is the administrator of martial law in Maguindanao.
"The maintenance of peace and order and security for the greater good of the civilian population should be the priority amidst the problems and tension in Maguindanao," he said.
He also said that most residents of the region are in favor of the declaration in the province.
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To andoybarrios..at sa lahat ng ayaw sa ML of Maguindanao!
Bro, tanong ko lang sayo nakapunta ka na bah ng Mindanao? Huwag mo maipagmalaki sa amin ang utak mong bulok? At sabi mo sa ibang comments na ikaw ay isang aktibista naku at huwag mo maipagmalaki sa amin yan ang pagiging aktibista mo? saan ba kokoti ang tanda muna wala ka namang pinagtandaan? ang pagiging aktibista ay depende yon kung ano ang inyong ipinaglalaban at ito ba ay may katuturan at realidad? ang sitwasyon ngayon ay iba sa panahon niyo dati? ang mga tao ngayon lalo na yong mga kabataan ay mulat na ang mata at hindi tulad mo tulog o nakapikit sa katotohanan, tandaan mo bro ang katotohanan ay siyang magpapalaya ng tao? to tell you dati ang Martial law covered by 1935 constitution at ang ML ngayon ay malaking pagkakaiba sa dati gets? magbasa ka ulit baka lumang version yang hawak mo o diba nagbasa ka ngah hindi mo naman naintindihan dahil English o dba gusto mo tagalogin ko pa para maintindihan mo? i think na mas matanda ka sa amin at nerespeto kita sa punto na yan pero hindi ko rerespetuhin ang idea mo na bali? Manong andoy the main objectives of ML right there is a swift moved to disarmed all private armies in connection of the massacre and by then, if the weapons is positive of the ballistic test in connection to the crime this can be used to connect the suspects and totally can solved the case even if it is confiscated during ML gets? all of this is beyond probable cause depende kung gaano ka bigat ang ebedensya at gaano ka credible ang testimony ng mga witnesses. sana nman po huwag kayo maging paranoid at hipokrito sa usaping ito at isantabi niyo muna ang galit niyo kay Arroyo? Manong andoy huwag kang magmalaki sa alam mo sa batas na pinagsasabi mo just look at the actual situation right there and bring your book of knowledge and show me how to implement laws infront of the victims in the area of lawless land.
I dare you now subukan mong pumunta doon particularly in Maguindanao at magdala ka ng libro at isigaw ang batas na sinasabi mo kung may maniniwala ba sa iyo? subukan mong tumira doon under Ampatuan Law tingnan lang natin kung hindi ka iihi sa takot? Tingnan natin kung kaninong itlog ang pipiyok? Palibhasa ang galing niyong magsalita eh wala nman kayong ginawa? At am sure wala kayong magawa kundi ang mag-ingay? alam Manong andoy o brother andoy palaboy lahat naman tayo galit kay Gloria pero sa usaping ito sana nman tigilan niyo yang usaping pang politika? tinatanong niyo ang legalities ng ML dahil takot kayo sa technicalities eh hayaan niyo muna ang mga imbestigador sa kaso at maglahad ng mga ebedensiya bago kayo manghusga: eh kung wala kayong magawa para solusyunan ang Isla ng Mindanao particularly now in Maguindanao eh sana tumahimik nalang kayo? sa mga moslem territory bro doon ay minsan kinalimutan na ng mga ibang tao ang due process, some people were not after of what you said constitution, people right there were challenged on how to survived each day of living sa kahit anong paraan kaya huwag kayong magmalaki na may malasakit kayo sa mga tao doon dahil sa totoo lang Martial Law right there as of now is better than Ampatuan Law? Martial Law right now is totally different before during Marcos Regime and under 1935 Constitution. kaya ung mga kinatatakutan niyo ay possibe din yan mangyari pero dapat niyong tandaan that Mrs. Gloria Arroyo is one way ahead of us and now we need to moved on. Whenever Gloria is proven guilty of her mistakes let the law will prevail and the justice system will work for it? iyong mga sinisigaw niyo laban kay Gloria ay hindi solusyon sa Maguindanao ngayon at lalo na sa Massacre kya kung sa akala niyo magaling kayo punta kayo doon ngayon at subukan niyong manghuli ng private armies at mag imbestiga ng kaso gets?
This time I agree with the
This time I agree with the church. The shorter the Martial Law, the better.