Outgoing Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Wednesday expressed support for the granting of emergency powers to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte to address problems buffeting the country such as the traffic crisis in Metro Manila and the terrorism being waged by a handful of Abu Sayyaf Group members in Basilan and Sulu.
“One of the solutions to these problems is the grant of emergency powers to him. Probably, we can be allowed to search the houses even without a warrant. You can control the movement of people and the movement of food supplies. It’s like martial law but limited power to the president and for a limited time only,” Gazmin said, a day before he bows out of service as chief of the National Defense.
The Duterte camp has floated the idea of declaring martial law that has gained the support of incoming Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ricardo Visaya.
Duterte gave two options to the ASG: talk or fight.
Visaya is poised to implement a comprehensive plan to eliminate the ASG and other terrorists.
But the only hurdle to the devastating military action against the ASG is civilian support because the armed bandits are either family members or relatives in the communities where they operate.
Gazmin is also supportive of punishing civilians and government officials coddling the terror group.
“Impose punishment or penalty on local government officials who are cooperating or siding with them [ASG],” he said.
He said the kidnap-for-ransom activities of the ASG have emboldened their coddlers to tolerate them because it’s a lucrative business.
The kidnappings perpetrated by the ASG, with some of their victims either beheaded if ransom is not paid, has tarnished the image of the country in the international community.
The ASG in Sulu beheaded John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, both Canadians, after a P300-million ransom for each of the victims was not delivered to the bandits.
In the same forum, Gazmin took potshots at his detractors and certain members of the media, expressing dismay over negative reports linking him to irregularities in the modernization program of the Armed Forces.
Gazmin, who would be replaced by retired general Delfin Lorenzana, said he just opted to be silent rather than spend time countering these allegations.