After declaring a national emergency on account of lawless violence in Mindanao following the deadly blast in Davao City, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said he would only use the powers at his disposal as President to prevent and suppress violence in the country.
"We are in a state of lawlessness. I do not need any additional power. If you use the word, pang takot lang yan. I do not need it. I do not need anything except that you know that there is lawlessness in the country, period," he said in a press briefing in Davao City on his arrival from his first foreign trip as President.
According to the President, there were laws and measures he could use to keep the country safe, "just exercise the powers of the presidency the natural way, law and order and stricter measures."
Duterte made the statement over Sen. Richard Gordon's proposal to give him the power to suspend the writ of habeas corpus and help fight terrorism and illegal drugs. However, the President did not particularly mentioned Gordon's proposal during the press conference.
Duterte also defended the security measures that would be implemented with his declaration of a national emergency on account of lawlessness violence such as checkpoints and tighter security procedures at places like airports.
He noted that some people already objected the idea of checkpoints due to police committing violations. However, he pointed out that being against random checkpoints could also mean that a person was hiding something.
The President alo said that airlines should advise their passengers to be at the airport earlier than usual to allow more time to go through security procedures.
He said that these measures were necessary to catch people planning to commit violent acts and that the proclamation remains in effect until it was lifted by the President himself.
Duterte issued the proclamation after an explosion ripped through the Roxas night market in Davao City on Sept. 2, killing 14 people and injuring 67 others.
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