The ‘state of lawlessness’ declared by President Rodrigo Duterte early Satuday morning near the “Black Friday” blast site in Davao City is open ended.
“(There will be a) state of lawlessness, until such time I say that it’s safe for everybody,” Duterte told reporters after inspecting the tattered night market which was just a few meters from his favorite meeting spot, Marco Polo Hotel.
The blast killed 14 and injured 67 people. It was carried out while Duterte was holding a meeting 12 kilometers away.
Duterte explained why he was declaring a state of lawlessness.
“There is a crisis in this country involving drugs, extrajudicial killings as they say, killings. And there seems to be the environment of lawlessness. Lawless violence, so I might just declare a state of lawless violence in this country. I will have to order everybody to follow a national policy in pursuing a program vis-à-vis with my declaration now, we are now in a state of lawlessness,” said Duterte.
.Contraryy to some pundits claims, Duterte said the bombing was part of a bigger plot.
“It’s not an isolated case in the sense that there are a lot of— there was the grenade throwing in Cotabato City and the assault on so many places,” said Duterte who ordered a full assault on Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Sulu a few days ago.
Duterte clarified that this was not in now way similar to then President Ferdinand Marcos’ acts 44 years ago and there will be no curfews.
“It’s is not martial law. It has nothing to do with suspension with the Writ of Habeas Corpus…but I am inviting now the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the military and the police to run the country in accordance with my specifications,” said Duterte.
But prepare for a lot of checkpoints and searches.
“These are extraordinary times, and I suppose that I’m authorized to allow the security forces in this country, of our country to do searches. Maghinto kayo sa mga checkpoints. If you see a sign there, that there are soldiers flashing their lights, turn off your headlights, switch on to your lights inside your cars because I’m authorizing them to search,” said Duterte.
“So if you do not have anything to hide, I am suggesting, suggesting that you be liberal enough to understand us because we are trying to cope up with a crisis now,” he added.
