Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo placed Maguindanao province under a state of martial law, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Saturday.
Malacañang has suspended the writ of habeas corpus in the province, where 57 people in Ampatuan town were involved in a massacre last November 23, except "for certain areas."
In so doing, the military can make arrests without court intervention.
"The condition of peace and order in the province of Maguindanao have deteriorated to the extent that local judicial systems and other government mechanisms are not functioning and thus endangering public safety," Ermita pointed out.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said that judicial process is hindered as "no judges will take the case, no judges will pursue the proper search warrants, or warrant of arrests."
Under Proclamation 1959, the declaration follows that of then-president Ferdinand Marcos who imposed military rule over the entire country from 1972 to 1981.
4 years ago
I am actually against of Martial Law, but i have to support that declaration for now because I feel that that's the only possible way to lessen the influential/power of Ampatuans... the UNTOUCHABLE status.
This declaration of GMA is actually illegal and no basis move of the Gov't, rebellion is one to permit it. But.... the Ampatuans have the ability to do anything... even invasion I guess, with the firearms and ammunitions dug up near their mansion, theres nothing they can't do. So I guess declaring ML have to be the solution to bring to justice the "untouchable" killerssss of 57 helpless innocent people.
But ofcourse, declaring Martial Law nation wide would have to be a different issue.
@lifelessserious - let's just wait for what will happen next. who knows, tomorrow turning is another page of our history.
umpisa pa lang siguro ang maguindanao martial law para sa iba pang lugar na puwedeng mag declare din ng martial..kumbaga ay patikim pa lang iyan..baka next time ay mag declare na talaga ng martial law dito sa pilipinas para manatili sa posisyon ang ating pangulo..
ang hirap magcomment kasi complicated ang situation sa mindanao... tska iba ang situation nung time ni marcos, compare sa ngayon...
tama lang ang martial law, i think.
tama lang ang martial law, i think.
Bawat isa may kanya kanyang paniniwala kung tama o mali ang pagdelara ng Martial Law. But again Martial Law noon ngayon ang drama is the same. Limitless power ng isang branch ng government (executive)?
Inutile ang isang branch(judicial)?
"no judges will take the case, no judges will pursue the proper search warrants, or warrant of arrests."
Kaya yan nasa POWER na NANG Executive ang lahat...
What's the point of having the judicial branch if they could not do their job?
@Arvin U. de la Peña - i agree. i don't want to believe that the gore massacre was a state-sponsored act, creating an imaginary 'terror.' nationwide martial law is something we, the current generation, will strongly oppose.
@johnonline - the declaration was baseless, if not premature. arroyo is really itchy to cling to her seat now that 2010 is nearing.
@dencios - i respect your opinion. would you mind expounding why?
@dencios - i respect your opinion. would you mind expounding why?
@darbs - it makes sense. i had to re-read your comment to get it. haha. being the sucker for law and constitution. thanks for the info. :)
@Vladimer. Truth is sucker din ako sa mga ganyang issue. in fact, nakisawsaw lang naman ako mula doon sa sinulat mong...
"no judges will take the case, no judges will pursue the proper search warrants, or warrant of arrests."
From there naisip kong, may point din si Gloria et.al. na gamitin ang Martial Law dahil nga isa yan sa kanyang argument. Sino nga ba naman ang mag-issue kung sarado at takot ang mga Husgado ng bayan. di ba? Marami talaga ang maniniwalang justified ang kanyang implementasyon ng saligang batas. Lalo na pinakitang raid/dakipan/ ung mga suspek.
But again... Martial Law is Martial Law... nobody in their right minds to use this power... This power is the Ultimate... the power of all powers...
Check this out from ABS-CBN news entitled, "SC urged to revoke martial law in Maguindanao" tungkol sa issue na yan.
sabi pa, kaya hindi nag function ung ang local government offices dahil si Tita Glo mismo ang nagpa-shut down. E kung shut down sino ngayon ang mag issue ng warrant of arrest?
“There is no one to blame for the breakdown of government functions in Maguindanao but the Arroyo administration itself, since from November 27, 2009, it had shut down government offices in the province and placed them under the control and supervision of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno," they argued."
Source: ABS-CBN Article: SC Urge to revoke Martial Law
I think the massacre is premeditated.