MANILA, Philippines – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Monday, November 26, that President Rodrigo Duterte’s new Memorandum Order (MO) against lawless violence will not lead to a nationwide implementation of marital law.

In an interview with DZRH, Lorenzana gave assurances that Duterte’s order is limited to areas in Samar, Bicol, and Negros Island since these are where communist guerrillas are most active nowadays.

“Wala dapat sila ipag-alala. Natatakot silang martial law, walang martial law ito. Nakita ba nila sa MO kung may salitang ‘martial law’? Wala e it’s just an [order] para lang paigtingin ang ating efforts para mapanatili ang kapayapaan sa mga lugar, especially sa countryside,” Lorenzana said.

(There’s nothing to worry about. They’re [public] scared there will be martial law, but there won’t be any martial law. Did they see the words “martial law” in the MO? It’s just an [order] to intensity efforts to achieve peace, especially in the countryside.)

He added, “Limitado lang ‘yun…. Hindi ba nila napapakinggan yung sinasabi ni Presidente publicly na hindi siya magdedeclare ng nationwide martial law?” (It’s limited…. Didn’t they hear the President say publicly that he won’t declare martial law nationwide?)

For elections too: Lorenzana said that the order is also a way for the government to ensure that the May 2019 national and local elections and the campaign period preceding the polls would be peaceful.

He said that in the past election, they received reports that New People’s Army rebels barred voters from entering precincts or campaigned for certain candidates.

Lorenzana said, though, that he does not expect violence to escalate in other regions due to the elections. “Doon lang sila talagang malakas, (They’re only strong in those areas [Samar, Bicol, Negros Island]),” he said.

The defense secretary’s statement came after Vice President Leni Robredo questioned Duterte’s order. She said Malacañang should justify its use of the term “lawless violence,” as many worried about creeping military rule across the country.

Robredo also said the government should look into why insurgency has intensified in the last two years. The Vice President noted that rebel activities have been commonplace since 3 decades ago, but that they have been considerably reduced in the last decade.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde echoed Lorenzana’s statements, saying the MO “has nothing to do with martial law.”

The PNP deployed and realigned teams from its Special Action Force following Duterte’s order. – Rappler.com