Duterte seeks understanding for ‘good martial law’ to thwart threat in Davao

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday asked for understanding from his constituents for what he jokingly called a "good Martial Law"—referring to tight security steps taken to thwart an alleged security threat.

 

The mayor issued the call after meeting with Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, GMA News' Chino Gaston reported on GMA News' Unang Balita.

 

The report said Duterte and Roxas discussed the supposed threat, but declined to give further details.

 

 

 

However, the mayor said he was satisfied with the preparations of police and military forces, saying that while an assessment of the threat is "three out of 10," preparation is already at "Level 10."

 

"I am very much satisfied with the police output dito sa trabaho," he said.

 

Still, he asked Davao City residents for understanding on the inconveniences of checkpoints and search operations. 
 

GMA's Gaston said Duterte jokingly referred to the situation as a modified or "good Martial law," which he said is needed to deal with such threats.

 

The report added many residents understood the measures are for their safety.

 

For his part, Roxas said the present preparations show the city is prepared, even as he asked the public to take the threat seriously.

 

Meanwhile, GMA News' Gaston said a text message shown to GMA News by the Office of the City Mayor showed the threat may come from Abdul Basit Usman, a foreign-trained bomb expert caught in 2002 but who escaped.

 

The report said Usman's wife and child had been wounded in a raid by the military in Central Mindanao. —Joel Locsin/KG, GMA News