Duterte to declare Martial Law if illegal drug woes worsen

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte points to the list containing the names of alleged illegal drug personalities in his speech during the 49th Annual Installation of Officers and Board of Trustees of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) at Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City on January 14, 2017. (Photo: RENE LUMAWAG/Presidential Photo)

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday night said that he will declare Martial Law if the issue of illegal drugs in the country becomes ‘virulent.’

“I will declare martial law if I wanted to. Nobody can stop me,” Duterte said in a speech given before business people in Davao.

Martial law is declared in times of violent civil unrest or when major natural disaster occurs.

Philippine law states that Martial Law shall be approved by the Congress and Supreme Court, a legal process Duterte said he is willing ignore.

“I don’t care about the Supreme Court.

My country transcends everything else even the limitations,” he said.

Duterte added that he will declare Martial Law not because of invasion but to preserve his nation, contrary to his December 29 statement where he said that only the former would prompt him to declare Martial Law.

Duterte also slammed the Commission on Human Rights in his Saturday speech for questioning deaths in his ‘war on drugs’ without inquiring on the reasons for these fatalities.