OVER 100 persons including children marched from Plaza Indepedencia to Colon Street to rally against martial law in Mindanao as part of their commemoration of the Global Day of Action Against War and Militarism yesterday.
The militant Kilusan sa Bansang Demokrasya (Kaisaka) along with the Pagkakaisa ng Kababaihan Para sa Kalayaan staged their protest against President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao, saying it has no legal basis.
“We believe in Marawi, we could trust our AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) in full control and we see that the President’s declaration was not based from sound recommendation,” said Emalyn Aliviano, Cebu coordinator of Kaisaka.
She said President Duterte still declared martial law even after the military declared they were in full control of the situation in Marawi City.
Terrorism needs to be addressed, but declaring martial law is not a sustainable solution, Aliviano said.
“We know for a fact that Duterte has been wanting to declare martial law even before he won the presidency, and so we see it as his direction to authoritarian rule,” Aliviano said.
Aliviano said their group is asking the public to be more conscious and vigilant against abuses committed during martial law in Mindanao.