President Rodrigo Duterte has declared Mindanao under martial law after terrorist group Maute seized Marawi City yesterday, Tuesday, May 23, around 10pm according to presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella.
In a briefing in Moscow, Abella was ordered by the President to make the announcement. He continues that martial law in the areas will be effective for 60 days, as mentioned in the Constitution, under the grounds of resistance and rebellion.
The said martial law is effective for the island of Mindanao including Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi.
The meeting between President Duterte and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will be postponed as the President will leave Russia at 10pm, Moscow time, to return to Manila, said Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano. Secretary Cayetano had spoken to his Moscow and Russian counterparts and the officials said they understood the situation.
Putin met Duterte in an earlier time since the announcement of the Philippine delegation’s early flight back to Manila.
According to earlier reports by ABS-CBN News, 2 soldiers and one police officer died in the encounter while 12 others were wounded, said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.
Source: ABS CBN