The CPP joins the Filipino people nationwide, especially in Mindanao, in denouncing the plan to extend martial law in Mindanao. Yesterday, GRP President Duterte said he is not set on lifting martial law before his SONA.

Duterte claims he listens solely on the AFP for advise on martial law. Last month, however, military officials claimed they never advised Duterte to declare martial law. Whichever way, it is imbecilic to seek advise from the AFP whose officers now admit it did not even know the strength of the so-called Maute Group when the AFP laid siege on Marawi. Now Duterte listens to it to tell him when it will be over.

The nearly 50-day AFP siege and non-stop aerial bombardment of Marawi City has been proven a failure in its declared objective of suppressing the so-called Maute Group. By going on a rampage and destroying and looting people's homes in Marawi, Duterte and the AFP have succeeded only in driving 400,000 people away from their homes, creating a massive humanitarian crisis and igniting more widespread armed resistance by various Moro groups.

Duterte’s Mindanao martial law has intensified AFP offensives and attacks against the NPA. With martial law, AFP troops and their paramilitaries have returned to Lumad communities and schools in Talaingod, Davao del Norte and Lianga, Surigao del Sur. At least 5,000 people have evacuated their communities out of fear. Civil and political rights continue to be violated by checkpoints, random searches by AFP soldiers, threats against the right to express views, and so on.