Philippines’ Duterte threatens martial law-like virus crackdownManila's roads have been nearly deserted since a sweeping lockdown was imposed a month ago on about half the country's 110 million people. [AFP]Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened a martial law-like crackdown to stop people flouting a virus lockdown in the nation’s capital. If not, if you do not believe me, then the military and police will take over,” Duterte said in a televised speech late Thursday. “The military and police will enforce social distancing at curfew… It’s like martial law. Duterte has repeatedly threatened to impose nationwide military rule over the Philippines, where the mere words evoke the worst rights abuses of the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship.

Source: Standard Digital April 17, 2020 05:15 UTC