Mayor orders lockdown in Davao City

DAVAO CITY, May 24 — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio ordered the police and the military to lockdown the city hours after President Rodrigo Duterte declared a 60-day martial law in Mindanao late Tuesday evening.

The mayor also asked non-residents to postpone visits to Davao City if these are not important as security checks at several checkpoints would be more aggressive.

For Davaoenos and tourists, she advised them to exercise prudence in planning their activities in the city, warning that security measures will be more intensive considering that Davao is the hometown of the President.

She assured the city is beefing up police visibility on the ground and in coastal areas, where terrorists could possibly enter.

In an urgent press conference at past 1:00 a.m and after meeting with police and army officials, the mayor announced that locking down the city was a decision they agreed as a security measure in light of the incident in Marawi City. 

This will also hold while martial law is in effect for 60 days.

Shortly before the official declaration of martial law, the mayor admitted her father, President Duterte, called her of his decision. She said she also saw the official announcement from Russia live on television.

Duterte-Carpio said police and army authorities did not discount the possibility of terrorists and bandits to enter the city given previous incidents. She also cited the members of the Maute group who are currently detained at the city jail.

While the city remains under full alert since last year, the mayor ordered police and army officials to plan their operations well and set up additional checkpoints.

In the absence of an executive order on martial law declaration, Duterte-Carpio reminded that under a martial law regime, "warrantless arrest is in effect, activities of people are monitored and there is suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in cases of terrorism and others like rebellion. She said authorities could pick people if they sympathizers of terrorist groups.
(PNA)