MANILA – Malacañang on Wednesday insisted that there is no reason for President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law nationwide, after Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez Jr. alleged that communist rebels want Duterte to declare one. In a Senate budget hearing on Tuesday, Galvez alleged that this was part of the communist rebels’ “Red October” plot to oust the President. AFP chief: ‘Red October’ plotters want Duterte to declare martial law nationwide Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Palace stands by Galvez’s claim, but noted that there is no basis yet for the President to declare martial law nationwide. “By sowing chaos through its Red October ouster plot, the [Communist Party of the Philippines] hopes that a nationwide martial law declaration would spark people’s outrage. We will therefore not fall into this trap hatched by the enemies of the State,” Roque said in a statement. “President Duterte sees no ground to declare martial law nationwide as the whole situation is under control.” Galvez compared the supposed plot to the Plaza Miranda bombing in Quiapo, Manila in 1971, one of the events that then President Ferdinand Marcos cited to justify the declaration of martial law in 1972. Martial law remains in effect in Mindanao even after the end of the siege of Marawi City, where the eruption of firefights between terrorists and state forces in May last year prompted such declaration over the entire region. It is set to lapse by the end of the year. … [Read full story]
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