Philippine lawmakers agree to extend martial law in restive Mindanao region for another year
- For decades, the area has been troubled by banditry, piracy and armed rebellions by separatist and communist militias
A 12-month extension of martial law in the Philippines’ restive Mindanao region was approved by Congress on Wednesday, after President Rodrigo Duterte argued for maintaining tough security measures to stop Muslim extremists from regrouping.
A joint legislative session voted 235-28 in favour of retaining military rule in Mindanao until the end of 2019, prolonging what was already the country’s longest period of martial law since the brutal 1970s era of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
Mindanao’s mostly poor Muslim areas have for decades been troubled by banditry, piracy and armed rebellions by separatist and communist militias, some of which have been managed by truces and decentralisation moves.
However, May last year saw the eruption of the country’s fiercest conflict since the second world war, when an alliance of extremists seeking to create an Islamic State enclave attacked and held Marawi City through five months of government air strikes and ground offensives.
