Photo by scorpious18
Martial law was passed on May 23 in the Philippines, due to a group with ISIS connections attacking the Muslim city of Marawi.
Per Fox News, “Duterte declared martial law on May 23 following a bloody siege of the southern city of Marawi by Islamic State group-aligned militants, the most serious security crisis he has faced since assuming power in June last year.”
To extend martial law, President Duterte must get approval from congress. The reason why he wants to extend martial law, is to eradicate the terrorist threat in the Philippines.
U.S. New & World Report states, “Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday asked Congress to extend martial law on the southern island of Mindanao until the end of the year, to grant him time to crush a rebel movement inspired by the Islamic State group.”
There is a fear that if Islamic terrorism is not crushed in Mindano, then it will spread throughout the country.
Al Jazeera explains, “Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who attended Monday’s meeting with Duterte, said: ‘He also explained clearly his fear that terrorism might slowly spread throughout Mindanao and eventually the country.’”
It was not until after consulting security officials, that Duterte decided the threat wouldn’t be eradicated till after July 22.
Per Fox News, “In a letter to the Senate and the House of Representatives read by his spokesman Ernesto Abella, Duterte said that after consulting security officials, he has concluded that the rebellion in the south will not be quelled completely by July 22.”
Before being ruled by a democracy, the Philippines was ruled by the military through trials of separatist and Marxist rebellion. Parts of the Philippines was put back into military rule on May 23.
U.S. News and World Report explains, “The region of 22 million people, which has a history of separatist and Marxist rebellion, was placed under military rule on May 23 after rebels from the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups took over parts of Marawi City, plunging the Philippines into the biggest security crisis in years.”
Even though the Philippines is predominately Christian, the goal of Operation Mobilization (OM) in the Philippines is to train disciples and to share Christ’s hope with those who don’t know the Lord.
OM states, “Totally Excited About Missions (TEAM) is a youth missions discipleship club of OMP. It was first launched in Cebu in 2005. TEAM aims that through this club many young people will be exposed, excited and engaged into missions, and will eventually become equipped and better missionaries to go whether locally or internationally and serve God through different ministries.”
Pray for an end to the violence in the Philippines and that ministries such as OM would train up young people to be missionaries.
Fox News: Philippines’ Duterte asks Congress to extend martial law
U.S. News & World Report: Philippine President Asks Congress to Keep Martial Law Until End of Year
Al Jazeera: Duterte seeks to extend martial law amid ISIL threat
