AN OVERWHELMING majority of the Senate and House of Representatives in joint session on Wednesday voted to extend martial law in Mindanao until December 31, 2018. Duterte first imposed martial law in Mindanao last in May 23 though Proclamation 216 following the attack in Marawi City by the Islamic State-inspired Maute group. In July, a special joint session was convened by Congress to approve the request of the President to extend martial law in Mindanao until December 31, 2017. DND, AFP thank CongressThe Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed on Wednesday the one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao granted by Congress. In a statement, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the extension of martial law would pave the way for an “unhampered” rehabilitation efforts of the government in the war-torn city of Marawi.

Source: Manila Times December 13, 2017 17:16 UTC