Duterte placed the southern island of Mindanao under military rule on May 23, hours after hundreds of pro-Islamic State militants seized control of the predominantly Muslim town of Marawi, which is on the island. Three agreed with it but wanted to limit the area of martial law and one judge opposed it, said court spokesman Theodore Te. Six weeks after the imposition of martial law on the island, government forces are still battling the rebels in the town. "With the Supreme Court decision, the whole government now stands together as one against a common enemy," presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he was hopeful the battle with the militants of the previously little-known Maute group would be over before the 60-day period of martial law ends, as the Philippines' was getting more help from allies.

Source: Sunday Times July 04, 2017 08:48 UTC