Ranking PNP official talks on martial law in Maguindanao
CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – A high ranking official of the PNP in this region revealed his opinion as a police officer on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s declaration of martial law in Maguindanao.
Police Sr. Supt Gil Hitosis, deputy regional director for operations, said that the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao was due to the of eruption of violence in the area.
“It was logical considering what occurred there, he said, citing the November 23 massacre of 57 civilians, 30 journalists among them, which was allegedly perpetrated by the ruling Ampatuans.
Hitosis added that the imminent threat posed by the followers of the Ampatuans on police and Army troops deployed there also justified the declaration of martial law.
“Reasonable force is needed to control the situation and prevent violence from spreading,” he said.
The police officer further stated that the government should strengthen its information dissemination regarding the declaration of martial law.
“Because of lack of information dissemination, many people interpreted differently the reasons why the government declared martial law there,” he pointed out.
“As it is the nature of Filipinos to resist martial law, they should be properly informed why it should be declared there in the first place,” added Hitosis.
Meanwhile, as martial law was officially declared in Maguindanao the Ampatuans, a powerful clan in the province, have been tagged as suspects and the crackdown on members of the family began with the arrest, detention, and indictment for 25 counts of murder of Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr.
The declaration was prompted by reports of “armed groups in the province of Maguindanao” establishing positions “to resist government troops, thereby depriving the Executive of its powers and prerogatives to enforce the laws of the land and to maintain public order and safety” and of the “deteriorating condition of peace and order to the extent that the local judicial system and other government mechanisms in the province are not functioning, thus endangering public safety.
In justifying Arroyo’s decision, it quoted Section 18, Article 7 of the Constitution, that, “ [The President] in case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it, he [or she] may, for a period not exceeding sixty days, suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law.”
The massing of these armed groups, their possible linking up with the massacre perpetrators who remained at large, and the recovery of a huge cache of high-powered firearms in Maguindanao constituted elements of rebellion.
At the same time, martial law and the suspension of the writ would be enforced in the entire province of Maguindanao, except in identified areas of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front under its agreement with the government on the cessation of hostilities.
If ever the head of the police office requests PRO-8 for additional troops to help maintain the peace and order in Maguindanao, Hitosis said that their office will be obliged to send a contingent there. (SYLVIA ALVERO ABADINGO)
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