SC orders Mindanao courts to remain open amid declaration of martial law

By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan

MANILA, May 24 — In view of President Rodrigo Duterte's declaration of martial law in Mindanao for 60 days, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday directed all courts in the island to remain open and all judges to report to their respective stations as far as local circumstances may allow.

”All judges stationed in Mindanao are directed to report their current and continuing status to the Office of Court Administrator through their Executive Judges,” Sereno said in its advisory posted on Supreme Court's Twitter account @SCPh_PIO.

In an advisory on Wednesday, Marawi City executive judge Wendy Papandayan ordered the suspension of work in all courts in the city.

Papandayan said this is to protect employees, mostly non-Muslims residing in Iligan City, from the dangers of coming to the city.

"I cannot risk the lives of court employees especially non-Muslims coming from Iligan City. I will be the most stupid judge if I will require them to report," Papandayan said in a Facebook post.

Late on Tuesday, President Duterte has declared martial law in Mindanao due to attacks carried out by the Maute terror group in Marawi City.

"In order to suppress lawless violence and rebellion and for pilic safety it is necessary to declare Martial Law in the entire island of Mindanao, including Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi for a period of 60 days," Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a press conference in Moscow, Russia.

On Tuesday afternoon (evening in Manila), President Duterte conferred with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go on the declaration of martial law in southern Philippines due to attacks carried out by ISIS-backed Maute terror group in Marawi City.

In an interview, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told the Philippine News Agency that the clash in Marawi City is focused on neutralizing Isnilon Hapilon, former leader of the kidnap for ranson Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) which had pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

Hapilon was believed wounded when the military bombed his hideout in Lanao del Sur last January.

"They are already there. In fact the leader in Basilan, Isnilon Hapilon, is actually, I think, he is the anointed leader of the group there," Lorenzana said on PNA Exclusive.

He added that Hapilon transferred to central Mindanao and organized the Maute Group.

The clash occurred Tuesday afternoon in Marawi City as the military received information that Hapilon is hiding in the area.

Meanwhile, the military units have stabilized the situation in Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur following a clash with Maute Group terrorists allied with Hapilon.

"The situation in Marawi has been stabilized. Security forces are in full control of the situation. The armed men we are dealing with are not ISIS but (members of a) local terrorist group," Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said Wednesday.

He added that reports and rumors claiming that the terrorists have captured and taken control of various government facilities are spurious and are meant to spread lies and disinformation aimed at attracting foreign terrorists support and recognition.

"The reported 'eyewitness account' is untrue that Amai Pakpak Hospital has been occupied and the people there were held hostage. The Marawi City Hall was not occupied as was earlier reported merely quoting 'sources'," Arevalo added.

"The sporadic firefights heard were harassment actions by terrorist sympathizers that were conducted as diversionary tactics to divide the attention of the reinforcing AFP personnel. But even these are already held in check," he pointed out.

The clash between Maute Group members started 2 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Basak, Malutlut when government security forces learned of the presence of Hapilon and his cohorts.

Hapilon was reported severely wounded in the series of military operations in Lanao Del Sur early this January.

The former is reportedly the representative of the ISIS terror group in the Philippines.

This prompted military and police units to conduct a law enforcement operation but they were fired on first by the bandits,

"The security forces were fired upon constraining them to retaliate," Arevalo stressed.

Initial reports said at least one soldier was killed and eight others were wounded.

"Follow up operations are still ongoing and we cannot reveal other details so as not to compromise operational security. Follow on forces are underway as we speak to further ensure that we will keep the grip of the situation," the AFP official added.

Arevalo also urged the public to refrain from posting in social media information that would tend exacerbate the situation especially photos and videos on the movements of our troops and on terrorist propaganda circulating through social media. "We will continue to provide updates as often as possible with due regard to the security of our operating forces and the conduct of the operations itself," he added. (PNA)