MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday praised Ferdinand Marcos’ Martial Law, saying the late strongman’s imposition of military rule in the country “was very good.”
The chief executive, however, did not elaborate on why he thought that Marcos’ iron-fisted rule — that suppressed freedom of speech and rights of habeas corpus, dissolved Congress, was marred by serious human rights abuses, and paved the way for the late President to perpetuate himself in power — was something positive.
Duterte only referred to the “offenders” during Marcos’ Martial Law who underwent “summary hearing” by “a martial court.”
The President also briefly mentioned about MV Karagatan in relation to Marcos’ declaration of Martial Law in September 1972.
“You know as far as I’m concerned, I know and I’m concerned, I would say that the only importation of firearms outside of the country ever to happen was the Karagatan. All others were locally generated,” Duterte said.
Former senator Juan Ponce Enrile, the Defense chief during the Marcos regime, earlier said that the MV Karagatan incident in July 1972 was the “significant event” that had prompted Marcos decide to declare martial law.”
Enrile said the ship was bearing high-powered Chinese arms and ammunition and other war materials for the communist New People’s Army intended to hasten the communists’ campaign to bring down the Marcos administration when authorities intercepted the vessel on the Pacific side of Isabela in Cagayan Valley.
On Tuesday, Duterte said his version of martial law “will not be any different from what President Marcos did.”
“I’ll be harsh. I have to do it to preserve the Republic of the Philippines and the Filipino people.”
On Wednesday, upon arriving from Russia, the President said the martial law that he had declared in Mindanao “includes arrest without warrant and search without warrant.”
“The courts are open. You can always go to the court. But in Mindanao, the remedy of habeas corpus is not available for you. And I will detain you. It says 36 hours, that is only when everything is moot and you are only dealing with criminals and wrongdoers,” he said.
If it was the communist threat that prompted Marcos to declare martial law 45 years ago, Duterte on Wednesday said it was the threat from the Jihadist militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) that “compelled” him to impose military rule in Southern Philippines.
“I have a serious problem in Mindanao and the ISIS has taken its…their footprints are everywhere…So they want to establish something there. But at the end of the day, I will say that I am not surprised when Lanao del Sur is also maybe in cahoots or cooperating,” said Duterte.
The President warned that that if there would be a “spillover” of ISIS terror in Visayas and Luzon, he might also decide to declare martial law nationwide.
“Allow me to focus sa [on the] problem sa [in] Mindanao and maybe the spillover in the Visayas and in Luzon. If I think that the ISIS has already taken foothold also in Luzon, and terrorism is not really far behind, I might declare martial law throughout the country to protect the people.”
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