Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he answers questions from the press at
Manila International Airport on March 23, 2017. Duterte warned he may impose
martial law and suspend elections for tens of thousands of local posts,
fuelling concerns about democracy under his rule. Duterte said he was considering
both measures as part of his controversial campaign to eradicate illegal drugs
in society, and that martial law would also solve a range of other security
threats. / AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS
Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte warned Thursday he may impose martial law and suspend elections for
tens of thousands of local posts, fuelling concerns about democracy under his
rule.
Duterte said he was considering
both measures as part of his controversial campaign to eradicate illegal drugs
in society, and that martial law would solve a range of other security threats.
“If I declare martial law, I will
finish all the problems, not just drugs,” Duterte told reporters in a pre-dawn
briefing after returning from neighbouring Thailand, which is under military
rule.
Duterte said that, as part
of martial law, he may create military courts to hear cases against terrorists.
“I will allow the military to try you and put you to death by
hanging,” he said, referring to Islamic militants in the south of the country.
Since easily winning presidential elections last year and taking
office nine months ago, Duterte has given conflicting statements on whether he
intended to impose military rule.
The issue is highly sensitive in the Philippines, which is still
trying to build a strong democracy three decades after a famous “People Power”
revolution ended Ferdinand Marcos’s dictatorship.
Duterte has previously warned he would be prepared to defy
constitutional safeguards and restrictions on martial law, although he and his
aides have later sought to downplay those threats.
On Thursday he gave an emphatic case for martial law, saying it
would stop the Philippines from “exploding”.
“I will be harsh,” Duterte said as he described his approach to
military rule.
– ‘Narco-politics’ –
Duterte also said he was planning to appoint leaders of more than 42,000 districts, known as barangays, across the nation instead of having them elected in polls that were scheduled for October.
Duterte also said he was planning to appoint leaders of more than 42,000 districts, known as barangays, across the nation instead of having them elected in polls that were scheduled for October.
“We are looking for a way to just appoint the barangay captains,”
Duterte said, adding this was necessary because 40 percent of them were
involved in drug trafficking.
“Narco-politics has entered the mainstream of Philippine
politics.”
The elections, which by law should be held every three years, are
important to the Philippines’ democracy because the barangays are the smallest
government unit responsible for a wide range of local services.
Barangay officials also help to monitor communities for illegal
drugs and draw up the lists of traffickers or addicts. Police use those lists
for raids that frequently lead to suspects being killed.
Duterte won the presidential elections after promising during the
campaign to eradicate drugs in society by killing tens of thousands of
criminals.
Police have reported killing nearly 2,600 people in his drug war
while rights groups say thousands more have been killed in a state-sanctioned
campaign of mass murder.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have warned Duterte
may be guilty of a crime against humanity.
Local opponents have said they are planning to file a case against
Duterte with the International Criminal Court, and a lawmaker last week filed
an impeachment complaint against him in Congress.
– ‘Mind-conditioning’ –
Duterte is extremely popular with many Filipinos fed up with crime and he has a commanding majority in Congress, meaning the impeachment case is unlikely to prosper.
Duterte is extremely popular with many Filipinos fed up with crime and he has a commanding majority in Congress, meaning the impeachment case is unlikely to prosper.
One of his fiercest critics, Senator Antonio Trillanes, said
Duterte’s latest comments on martial law plus the barangay elections were part
of a campaign to get the public used to the idea of military rule.
“It’s some form of trial balloon and at the same time
mind-conditioning. He will keep on pushing the boundaries until he feels he is
able to get it (martial law) through,” Trillanes told AFP.
Duterte’s critics have said
he is undermining democracy on a wide range of other fronts, including
sidelining the justice system in the drug war.
But Duterte, 71, has repeatedly said he does not want to hold on
to power and that he respects democracy.
The constitution, written after the fall of Marcos, limits
presidents to a single term of six years.
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