Task Force Bangon Marawi chair Del Rosario seeks martial law extension

Del Rosario said that they will coordinate with the military and police to asses and make necessary recommendation to the President Rodrigo Duterte for the extension of martial law in affected areas. (Photo: Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council/Facebook)

The Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the head of the Task Force Bangon Marawi Eduardo del Rosario will seek for the extension of martial law in the war-damaged Marawi City for the security of the whole rehabilitation effort.

“Personally, I would like that martial law will continue during the rehabilitation phase because as chairman of Task Force Bangon Marawi, my main concern is the security of the whole rehabilitation effort,” he said during the TFBM press briefing in Malacañang today.

“Just imagine, if something will happen in Marawi City during the rehabilitation phase, baka wala nang pumuntang contractors at laborers. Mahihirapan tayo sa rehabilitation [no contractors or laborers may want to go there. Rehabilitation would be difficult for us],” he added.

Lanao del Sur Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong reported that there is ongoing massive recruitment activity in some parts near Marawi. He added that extending martial law would be better to prevent possible reformation and attacks of the terror groups.

He also revealed that those who would be recruited as members of the ISIS group will receive an amount as high as P100,000.

“There are several reports we have been receiving that the recruitment activity is now ongoing in some other towns. So, we fear that if probably we will be lenient in securing security protocols, the terror group might use this as a portal to form and regroup again and attack another town, not necessarily in Marawi City or Lanao del Sur,” Adiong said.

However, del Rosario said that they will coordinate with the military and police to assess and make necessary recommendation to the President Rodrigo Duterte for the extension of martial law in affected areas.

“They should know better. And the source of information will come from the barangays, kung saan nagsisimula ang recruitments (where the recruitment is happening),” he added.