The Eastern Mindanao Command has buckled down to work by hammering out a structure that would pave the way for the full implementation of Martial Law in the Davao region.
Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay said the EastMinCom under Lt. Gen. Reynaldo Guerrero has been tasked as the chief implementer of Martial Law with the objective of preserving law and order and to prevent a spill-over of the Marawi siege.
“This is a new and greater challenge,” said Gapay, adding that the EastMinCom has activated a Multi-sectoral advisory group to ensure there will be no abuses.
“Magsisilbing [silang] advisory group to provide advices to us on how to prevent abuses. They come from the legal sector, the business, the academe, even the religious sector ay represented dito, to ensure that we are doing the right thing,” Gapay told the AFP-PNP press conference on Wednesday.
The EastMin Com ML spokesperson said a legal team will assist them to ensure their actions will be in accordance with the law.
The members of the group are from the different sectors coming from the religious, business, academe, legal and media.
Gapay said that the MSAG will be chaired by businessman Sebastian Angliongto. Among its members are Davao Archbishop Most Rev. Fernando Capalla, Susan Palad and Datu Mussolini Sinsuat Lidasan from the religious sector; university professors Prof. Hadji Balajadia, Prof. Antonio Obsioma from the academe; Antonio dela Cruz from the business sector; Atty. Romeo Caberde, Jr., Atty.
Rogelio Largo, Atty. Mary Ann Arnado from the legal sector; Akhzanuniza Alonto from the Mindanao Development Authority; Efren Elbanbuena from the media sector and Jerry Francisco.
Gapay said the Eastern Mindanao Command’s Martial Law implementation structure is different from Western Mindanao “where the focus is on heightened combat operations and restoration of law and order.”
Gapay, designated as deputy chief implementer, said the structure is made up of Martial Law Coordinating Centers by which all agencies, the security sectors, can coordinate. Under the ML Implementer will be the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations of Eastern Mindanao, which includes the Philippine National Police mandated to support the armed forces. Alongside them are partners from the civilian sector to advise the armed forces as to the implementation of martial law, the MSAG who could give advice to the chief implementer of martial law in Eastern Mindanao.
Also, Gapay mentioned that the operating units from the ground, naval and air components of the EastMin Comm will also organize implementing units. He pointed out that this will be the difference of the present martial law from the 1972 ML.
“Not everyone will be performing Martial Law functions, there will be specific units formed and created to perform Martial Law functions. This is also one of the safeguards of the military to prevent abuses.”
Gapay said that the implementing units will be capacitated, trained and educated on ML functions which they will perform, unlike before, in which everyone performs, which gives room to abuses.
“Here in EastMin Comm, we are focused on the prevention of the spill-over sa kaganapan sa West Mindanao Comm. Here, we are more on preservation of law and order.”
Moreover, Gapay said that the ML structure has been handed down to the operating units to guide them in the implementation of martial law functions. They have also established martial law coordinating centers down to brigade levels.
Currently, they are coming up with Rules of Engagement to guide the actions of troops on the ground to further strengthen security against lawless elements.
