Rodrigo Duterte Getty Images
Islamic militants behead police chief in Philippines after Duterte imposes martial law
Islamic militants beheaded a local police chief in the Philippines as retribution to President Duterte imposing martial law in the southern third of the country, according to new reports.
“The chief of police in Malabang on his way home, going back he was stopped by a checkpoint manned by terrorists and I think they decapitated them right then and there,” Duterte said a news conference Wednesday, according to the Telegraph.
At least three other security force members are believed to be dead, the BBC reported.
Duterte said he is now considering whether to extend martial law across the entire country.
“I will not hesitate to do anything and everything to protect and preserve the Filipino nation,” the president said. “I might declare martial law throughout the country to protect the people.”
On Tuesday, Duterte declared martial law for 60 days in the Mindanao island in the southern Phillippines – the second time ever the extreme measure has been enacted since 1986 — but could enforce it across the entire country if extremists expand their attacks, the BBC said.
“I said I would be harsh and I warned everybody not to force my hand into it,” Duterte said. “I have to do it to preserve the republic.”
Martial law empowers the military to enforce order during periods of crisis or civil unrest.
Duterte’s declaration came before ISIS fighters ravaged the city of Marawi on Tuesday night, burning buildings, killing soldiers and abducting a Catholic priest and more than dozen
Overnight, the Philippines army raided the hideout of Isnilon Hapilon, a commander with the Jihadist militant group Abu Sayyaf, who’s on Washington’s most-wanted terrorist list.
The Muslim extremists sought reinforcement from the ISIS-inspired allied terrorist group Maute, and together they stormed Marawi, a largely Muslim city of more than 200,000 people.
With Post Wires