MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana on Sunday withdrew his recommendation to declare martial law in Sulu and pointed out that there could be better options to end terrorist attacks. “I drop my recommendation for ML declaration over Sulu despite the turmoil as there might be other better options,” the top army official said in a statement to reporters. The military official also underscored “substantial gains” of security forces such as reduction of kidnap victims from 54 to three as well as the surrender of more than a hundred Abu Sayyaf Group bandits. President Rodrigo Duterte placed the whole of Mindanao under martial law when the terrorist Maute group laid siege on Marawi City in 2017. The Mindanao-wide martial law took effect for 60 days and lapsed on Dec. 31, 2019 after it was extended twice by Congress.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 30, 2020 03:32 UTC