Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana appealed Tuesday to enforce martial law in Sulu province following the two explosions that killed 15 people in Jolo on Monday.
“Kung natatandaan natin noong dineklara ng ating Pangulo ‘yung martial law ay behaved ‘yung mga tao. Kaya lang noong una, nagkaroon ng kaunting negative reaction due to the stigma brought about by the 1970s martial law, but this time, nitong nakaraang martial law, talagang sila na mismo ang nag-request na kung maari ma-extend pa,” Sobejana said in a radio interview.
(If we remember when our President declared martial law, the people behaved. So at first, there was a slightly negative reaction due to the stigma brought about by the 1970s martial law, but this time, in the past martial law, they requested that if it could be extended.)
“So siguro it’s high time na ibalik po natin, if I may respectfully recommend to our President, through our chief of staff and Secretary of National Defense, na kung maibalik o maideklara muli na martial law doon sa lugar dahil sa ito, doon sa probinsiya ng Sulu dahil sa recent bombing incident na nangyari,” he added.
(So maybe it’s high time that we return, if I may respectfully recommend to our President, through our chief of staff and Secretary of National Defense, that if martial law is restored or declared again in the area because of this, in the province of Sulu due to the recent bombing incident that occurred.)
Army chief recommends martial law in Sulu after Jolo blasts
President Rodrigo Duterte ended Martial Law in the Mindanao region on December 31, 2019, after two years since it was declared due to Marawi siege.
Among the victims of the two explosions that rocked Jolo yesterday were children, according to Joint Task Force Sulu commander Brigadier General William Gonzales, on Tuesday.
Gonzales said they have yet to determine what type of explosive device was used in the bombing.
According to Maj. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., chief of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), the suspects behind the Jolo twin blasts were the same persons the Army intelligence officers in Jolo is pursuing before several Jolo cops killed them on June 29.