Press Release
May 25, 2017

MENSAHE NI SEN. LEILA M. DE LIMA HINGGIL SA SITWASYON SA MARAWI AT SA PAGDEKLARA NG MARTIAL LAW SA MINDANAO

Ipinagdarasal po natin na matapos na sa lalong madaling panahon ang kaguluhan sa Lungsod ng Marawi at sa mga karatig nitong bayan, na bunsod ng pagtugis ng ating tropang militar sa mga teroristang grupong Maute at Abu Sayyaf. Nawa'y hindi na lumubha pa ang sitwasyon doon, matiyak ang kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan at agarang manumbalik sa normal na pamumuhay ang mga apektadong lugar.

Maigting po nating kinokondena ang paghahasik ng takot, dahas at kaguluhan ng masasamang elemento. Kaisa po tayo ng AFP sa pagtataguyod ng kapayapaan sa Mindanao, at nananalangin rin po tayo para sa kaligtasan ng mga miyembro ng kasundaluhan at kapulisan na ngayon ay nagbubuwis ng kanilang buhay para sa kaligtasan ng ating mga mamamayan. Nakikiramay rin po tayo sa mga kaanak ng mga napabalitang napatay at nasaktan sa gitna ng mga karahasang nagaganap.

We have the fullest faith and confidence in the ability of our armed forces to handle this situation, as they valiantly and successfully demonstrated during the Zamboanga Siege. They did this without the need for the declaration of martial law. We have no doubt that our uniformed services have the capability, experience and the will to put an end to this crisis in Marawi in a strong and decisive manner, without resort to martial law.

The safety and security of our people as well as the protection of their civil liberties are paramount, and promoting these necessarily requires the observance of the safeguards in the Constitution, in the event that the AFP chooses to exercise authority over civilian government as a consequence of general orders to be issued under Duterte's declaration of military rule.

I call on my fellow members of Congress to faithfully perform their duties under the Constitution to exact from the President his obligation to report to Congress, in order for the latter to independently determine, based on such report, the propriety and necessity for the declaration or continuation of martial law.

I call on our people to help our soldiers in hunting down the Maute group and its allies, and to extend assistance to the Marawi refugees in their time of distress. They need shelter, food, and clothing. This much we can do as the AFP clears out the remaining terrorists from Marawi and its environs so our countrymen can return to their communities and rebuild their city.

On this day and the days that will follow, let us support our troops so they can put an early end to this crisis, and thereby negate any need for the implementation of martial law as an excuse for the President to plant the foundations for his authoritarian rule.

News Latest News Feed