President declared state of emergency in Maguindanao
Posted on November 23rd, 2009
Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City were placed under a state of emergency by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo after the gruesome massacre of dozens of people in the election hotspot in Mindanao. The president also ordered a swift and impartial probe into massive killings.
Under Proclamation No. 1946, she directed the military and police to curb lawlessness and ensure safety of the people in the three areas under emergency declaration.
As of Tuesday, death toll have reached 46. Police and soldiers found 22 bodies in a hillside mass grave Tuesday, adding to the 24 bullet-riddled bodies recovered near the scene of Monday’s massacre in Maguindanao province.
In announcing the emergency declaration, the president said, “There is an urgent need to prevent and suppress the occurrence of several other incidents of lawless violence.” She also authorized the police and military to “undertake such measures as maybe allowed by the Constitution and by law to prevent and suppress all incidents of lawless violence in the aforesaid areas.”
The declaration of state of emergency allows for warrantless arrests, crackdown on private armies and disarmament of civilians in the concerned areas. This will be enforced until it is lifted or withdrawn by the president.
According to press secretary Cerge Remonde, the president also ordered the authorities to immediately conduct an “impartial” probe into the incident amid reports that the powerful Ampatuan clan is involved in the atrocity.
He also assured the media that the investigation would be “transparent and impartial” adding that the government would prosecute the perpetrators regardless of power and influence.
“It has to be pointed out the parties involved in this conflict are both allies of the administration. It is a misimpression to believe that only one party is an ally of the administration. Both parties involved in the conflict are allies of the administration,” Remonde said.
