"When is the time to lift the martial law? And then I will ask the military and the police, 'Is this safe now?' And when the Chief of Staff pati 'yung PNP would say, 'Everybody would be safe and it's okay now,' i-lift ko," Duterte said.
"Otherwise, it's not dependent on the whim na punta kang Supreme Court, maniwala kaya ako? Tingin ko magulo pa ipa-lift mo? Huhulihin kita, ipasok na tuloy kita sa kulungan," he added.
Mindanao was placed under military on May 23 because of attacks from Marawi City locals, the Maute group. Aside from the local terrorist group, foreign terrorists were also seen lurking around the city, fighting along the side of the Maute group lead by the two brothers, Omarkhayam and Abdullah Maute. Abu Sayyaf leader, Isnilon Hapilon, also joined forces with the two, and have been planning the attacks for quite a long time.
Meanwhile, President Duterte strikes at the martial law critics who are insisting to lift it despite the fact that the Marawi siege is still ongoing, threatening them to be put behind bars.
"When is the time to lift the martial law? And then I will ask the military and the police, ‘is this safe now?’ And when the chief of staff and the PNP (Philippine National Police) would say ‘everybody would be safe and it’s OK now,’ I will lift it," he said in a speech in Digos City, Davao del Sur.
"Otherwise, it’s not dependent on the whim na punta kang Supreme Court, maniwala kaya ako? Tingin ko magulo pa, ipa-lift mo? Huhulihin kita, ipasok na tuloy kita sa kulungan (that if you go to the Supreme Court, will I believe you? I think it is still unstable, you will ask the court to lift it? I will have you arrested and place you in jail)," Duterte said.
However, he did not disclose or mention if charges will be filed against martial law critics.
The President's martial law declaration in Mindanao have been receiving countless criticisms claiming there was no basis for it to be proclaimed. On the critics, they continuosly cited the
the Constitution wherein it states that martial law can only be declared in there is a rebellion or invasion threatening the public's safety.
They say that the attack was neither rebellion nor invasion.
But it reality, the Maute group are locals of Marawi City who are striving to take control of the city to establish an Islamic State. The Maute group is an ISIS-inspired terrorist in the Philippines, the atrocitities they are causing greatly threatened people's safety in Marawi. Their actions are described as "beyond evil" by Zia Alonto-Adiong, the spokesperson of the Lanao del Sur crisis management committee.
The government claimed that martial law's declaration have enough basis. Reports states that the local terrorist's aim is to establish an Islamic State province in Marawi City and that they were funded by illegal drugs.
"You don’t like martial law? S***. So be it. You don’t like it? Fine… Why should I enjoy declaring martial law? For what? I won by six million (votes). So what’s the problem? And you know, you do these things in Marawi, terrorists killing, beheading Christians and Moro alike, those fools, I will not forgive them," the President said.
"Huwag mong ipapasubo ng… lalo na ang bayan ko (Do not place my country in danger). We can talk of anything else and make compromises maybe, but not when the interest of my country is at stake... That is not negotiable," he added.
"I am with a heavy heart because by the time I reach home, the briefers for the day are there and the narratives are there," the President said.
"I get to read the so many soldiers and police who are dying... I’m telling you the truth: every time I read it, it’s too unsettling. Sometimes I cry, my tears will just flow if the numbers are great," he added.
Death statistics has reached 433 casualties as of June 1. 82 government soldiers, 317 from the camp of the terrorist and 39 civilians were killed.
Source: CNN, Philstar
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