Malacañang is hopeful that Congress will approve the request of President Rodrigo Duterte to extend his martial law declaration in Mindanao, which expires Saturday. The House of Representatives and the Senate on Saturday convened in a special session to tackle the request of the President to extend the martial rule in Mindanao. “The primary objective of the extension is to allow our forces to continue in their swift and decisive action in liberating Marawi,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement. ADVERTISEMENTIn a letter sent to Congress on July 18, Duterte asked the legislative body to allow the extension of his military rule until the end of 2017. The President declared martial law in the entire Mindanao on May 23, after Islamic State-inspired Maute group attacked Marawi City in a bid to establish a caliphate there.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 22, 2017 04:07 UTC