Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday opposed the extension of martial law in Mindanao, saying it failed in preventing terror attacks in the southern region.
鈥淚to kasi may martial law sa Mindanao pero nakita natin over the past months, hindi ito nagiging hadlang para 鈥榶ung karahasan ma-prevent, nagkaroon tayo ng bombing sa Lamitan, ito na naman sa Sultan Kuldarat, patuloy pa din, patuloy 鈥榶ung mga terrorist activities,鈥� Robredo said in an ambush interview at the House of Representatives.
鈥淎no ang assurance natin na kapag inextend yung martial law talagang mapeprevent ito?鈥� she asked. 鈥淜ung ang pagbabasehan ang mga nakaraang pangyayari, pinapakita na hindi epektibo 鈥榶un.鈥�
The second-highest official of the land also said it might be time to come up with a better solution to combat terror attacks in the region.
鈥淏aka kinakailangan ang mas maayos na pagharap sa problema, para ma-assess ano ba 鈥榶ung pinaka-effective na paraan para hindi na ulit mangyari ang mga pangyayari,鈥� she said.
Attack in Sultan Kudarat
Earlier, authorities said two persons were killed and 36 others were injured after an improvised bomb went off at 8:30 p.m. in front of J and H Marketing in Barangay Kalawag 3 in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.
READ: 2 killed, 36 hurt in Sultan Kudarat bombing
LOOK: Improvised bomb kills 2, hurts 36 in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat
The attack was later claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
READ: ISIS owns bomb attack on Sultan Kudarat, says US intelligence group
Proposal to extend martial law
After the attack in Sultan Kudarat, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Wednesday said further extending martial law in Mindanao is an option to prevent these attacks from happening.
READ: Medialdea: Extending martial law in Mindanao is an option
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Malaca帽ang is open to this option.聽 聽/vvp
READ: Palace OK with possible martial law extension in Mindanao