By
Azer Parrocha
December
13, 2017
MANILA
-- The one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao from January 1 to December
31, 2018 is a blessing in disguise because security forces will now be more
conscious of committing human rights abuses.
Senator
Panfilo Lacson made this remark after the Congress, in a joint session,
approved the one-year extension in Mindanao voting 240-27.
Lacson,
former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, was one of the 14 senators who
voted for the extension.
“Di
ba parang blessing in disguise pa, na na-extend ang martial law kasi
masyadong conscious ang security forces natin na kung sakaling
mag-commit ng abuses ang mga tauhan nila, alam nilang maraming nagbabantay kasi
may martial law (Isn’t it like a blessing in disguise that martial law was
extended because our security forces will now be conscious of committing abuses
because they know that there will be a lot of people watching them),"
Lacson told reporters in an interview after the session.
Lacson
said that without martial law, these abuses would be given less attention.
“Ang
consciousness, ang awareness ng tao na may martial law nakatuon ang attention
natin sa security forces natin. So nakakabawas pa sa mga possible abuses na
mako-commit (People’s consciousness and awareness that there’s martial law will
allow them to pay attention to our security forces. It could even reduce the
possible abuses committed)," he said.
Lacson
said that the reason why majority of lawmakers voted for the extension was
because they saw that it was nothing like the martial law imposed during the
term of former President Ferdinand Marcos.
“Kaya
nga siguro yan din ang tinitingnan ng mga bumoto na wala naman peligro na
maabuso ito (Perhaps the reason those who voted for the extension saw that it
was no longer prone to abuse),” he added.
