MANILA: The Philippine Congress on Saturday overwhelmingly approved the request of President Rodrigo Duterte to extend the imposition of martial law for the entire Mindanao group of islands until the end of the year to quell an ongoing rebellion by Islamic State-inspired militants.
In a special joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives that began in the morning, 261 legislators votes for the extension and 18 against. The vote came just hours before the initial 60-day period of military rule was due to expire.
In a letter to Congress earlier this week, Duterte sought a five-month extension of martial law and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus for the whole of the Mindanao region after concluding that the "existing rebellion" would not be completely resolved by the Saturday expiration.
Duterte declared martial law on May 23 soon after the predominantly Muslim city of Marawi on Mindanao island was laid siege to mainly by members of the Maute and Abu Sayyaf terror groups, with the ostensible aim of establishing an Islamic State caliphate there.
At Saturday's session, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told legislators that up to 700 armed militants were involved in the Marawi siege, with reinforcements coming from as far as the restive island provinces of Sulu and Basilan in the south. He said that around 80 remained actively engaged in fighting government forces.
The crisis in Marawi has so far left close to 600 people killed, including 428 militants, 105 government soldiers, and 45 civilians. It has also displaced close to 220,000 people, with some 295 people reportedly missing, according to the regional government.
On Friday evening, Duterte said some 300 civilians are still being held hostage by the militants, making it difficult for the military to press further despite the gunmen being contained to at least three villages.
Lorenzana and other security officials explained to Congress that the martial law extension for all of Mindanao was necessary to be able to address the other security threats.
The few legislators who opposed the extension questioned the factual basis for the declaration, citing existing laws that may be used to address the problem, and others expressed fears of abuses of human rights.
Military chief Gen Eduardo Ano had said he would recommend an early lifting of martial law when the necessary conditions are met.