President Rodrigo Duterte on Sat morning, Sep 3, declared a “state of lawless violence” in the Philippines following an explosion in Davao City that claimed the lives of 14 people and left more than 60 others injured.
Duterte, in an interview with journalists at the blast site at a popular night market in Roxas Avenue, said soldiers and police will be authorized to conduct searches in accordance with the “orchestration of the national government.”
“I may invite uniformed personnel to run the country according to my specifications,” Duterte said. “Any punitive action that will be taken by the security forces will be in a bid to stop terrorism,” he added.
But the 71-year old firebrand said his declaration is different from martial law as there will be “no curfews” and “no suspension of the writ of habeas corpus.”
The president said the national policy will be in place until he feels that the country “is already safe” from the threat of terrorism and narcotics.
“I am including drugs because of the many killings unfairly attributed to the police,” he said. “I have this duty to protect the country. I have this duty to keep intact the integrity of our nation.”
The “state of lawless violence” was last declared in 2003, also after a bombing in Davao City. ABS-CBN News
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