Philippine military wants martial law extended in south to fight off Islamist and communist rebels

The Philippine military and police have asked the president to extend martial law he declared in the country’s south by a year because of continuing threats from pro-Islamic State group militants and communist guerillas, officials said on Friday.

Interior Undersecretary Catalino Cuy said the national police want President Rodrigo Duterte to extend martial law, which expires on December 31, to allow them to continue offensives against Muslim militants who eluded capture during a five-month siege of southern Marawi city and against other extremist groups.

Military spokesman Major General Restituto Padilla said the military has made a similar recommendation to Duterte so it can press efforts against Muslim extremists and communist New People’s Army guerillas, whose attacks have affected businesses and the economy.

Duterte imposed martial law in May to deal with the Marawi siege, which troops quelled in October. Left-wing groups have protested martial law because of human rights concerns, but the Supreme Court has upheld its legality.

“We have not contained all the threat groups,” Cuy said by telephone. “They’re still there.”

Martial law will help the government and troops rebuild Marawi faster, he said.