Gov’t: ‘Rebellion still active in Mindanao’

FILE: Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a Congress joint session on Wednesday defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to extend Martial Law in Mindanao for another year.

Lorenzana told congressmen that an extension is needed as the government has not completely quelled rebels in the region. He added that rebellion in Mindanao has not stopped but continued to progress and spread to other places.

“That is what we are saying, the rebellion has not stopped, it just moved to another place,” Lorenzana said in defense of President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to extend martial law in Mindanao until December 2018.

“The situation in Marawi has substantially changed from the time we are fighting [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]-inspired Maute. So now there is post-conflict assessment conducted as [the] situation developed,” he said.

He added that as the situation developed, other Isis-inspired groups have been more active particulary the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in central Mindanao and some other parts of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi known as Basulta islands.

Lanao del Sur Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong earlier reported that there is an ongoing massive recruitment activity in some areas 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 earlier said.