MANILA, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines in the southern Philippine Mindanao island will propose a "selective" martial law instead of placing the entire island under military rule, the commanding general of the AFP's Western Mindanao Command said on Sunday.
Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana said his command wants martial law to be limited only to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The BARMM includes the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, and the cities of Cotabato, Marawi and Lamitan, and 63 villages in six North Cotabato towns.
"I don't recommend (placing) the whole of Mindanao (under martial rule). We want to limit the scope in the areas where there are security problems," Sobejana told reporters.
Asked why he wants martial law extended in BARMM, Sobejana said: "The usual security problem, the Abu Sayyaf is there." The Abu Sayyaf has about 300 to 400 members, mostly in the remote Sulu and Basilan provinces.
"The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) is there, there are also remnants of the Maute (Group)," Sobejana also said, referring to the separatists groups. "The efforts of our counterparts (in the local government) should be sustained and that is the delivery of basic services," he added.
Sobejana said his command will submit its security assessment to the AFP high command before martial law period lapses on Dec. 31, 2019.
The AFP's Eastern Mindanao Command said in August that it supports the resolution passed by the Davao City council to lift martial law in the city due to improved peace and order situation there.
The Philippine Congress granted in December 2018 Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's third request to further extend martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the whole of Mindanao for a period of one year, to quell a "continuing rebellion" in the southern Philippine region.
Local terrorists belonging to the Maute and Abu Sayyaf Group attacked Marawi City on May 23, 2017, prompting Duterte to place the entire Mindanao under martial law for 60 days.
The 1987 Constitution only allows the president to declare martial law for a maximum of 60 days. Any extension would require approval from Congress.
Under martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao, security forces are allowed to make arrests, detain or search without a warrant. This means that people who have committed the crime of rebellion or even suspected ones may be arrested without warrant of arrest and objects that were used in the commission of the crime of rebellion may be seized without search warrant.
Mindanao has been the hotbed of violent extremism and a brewing rebellion for decades. In more recent years, Mindanao witnessed the perpetration of numerous acts of violence like the Marawi siege and bombings in major cities.
