Duterte plans to declare martial law "across the country"
The President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte said that his statement on the military situation in relation to the volatile South of the country can be extended "across the country" to fight ISIS.
"If I think ISIS is already established in Luzon, and terrorism not too far behind, I can declare martial law across the country to protect the people," the President said at a press conference in Manila on Wednesday.
"I had to declare martial law in the island group of Mindanao," said Duterte that interrupted a visit to Russia to return home to deal with violence. "Our constitutional duty is to enforce the law and provide security."
The current military situation, covering both the city of Marawi and the wider island of Mindanao, part of which is Marawi, occurred after between Philippine government troops and Islamist militants took place a fatal collision.
Fighting between government troops and a group of Mouth, Islamist martial organization based in Mindanao, began on Tuesday afternoon
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