Martial Law declared in Maguindanao...Metro Manila soon to follow?

Under the 1987 Constitution, martial law can only be declared if there is an existing condition of "insurrection, revolution or coup d'etat". Martial law, as an available power to the State, is exercised only when the security of the state is threatened. When a serious condition of lawless violence pervades in some or a particular area of the archiepelago, the Chief Executive, acting as the Commander-in-Chief, has the power to declare martial rule.

Mrs. Arroyo signed last night Proclamation 1959 placing the entire province of Maguindanao under martial law. This is the first time that Mrs. Arroyo exercised the full extent of the powers granted to her under the Constitution.

The question really---is Martial law necessary in Maguindanao?

In signing the order, Mrs. Arroyo used as reason the massacre which members of the Ampatuan clan allegedly committed against their political enemies. Press secretary Cerge Remonde said it was the government's answer to the cries for justice to the victims.

After surrounding the Ampatuan's mansions and confiscated a huge cache of AFP-supplied arms and ammos, Mrs. Arroyo deemed it wise to declare martial law.

Local government secretary Ronnie Puno did not know it. And surely, it might have been the reason why Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabby Claudio immediately tendered his resignation. His scoliosis might have affected him so much after learning that Mrs. Arroyo intends to use the Maguindanao massacre issue as basis for her to flex her political muscle.

Why was martial law declared when the AFP already neutralized the threat? Was it to whitewash a possible investigation as being called by Senator Rodolfo Biazon, after the AFP discovered a huge cache of high-powered firearms bearing the DND-PNP mark?

Was it to shield the DND from possible complicity in arming a warlord such as the Ampatuans? Was Martial law the possible tactic employed to keep the Ampatuan's mouths shut?

Or, was Mrs. Arroyo and Defense secretary Norberto Gonzales using the issue as foil in an apparent attempt to implement their version of "God Save the Queen"?

A few days before this, the entire National Capital Region was placed under "blue alert", signalling a possible or imminent attack despite the absence of a clear intelligence report as basis for the alert level declaration. 

These acts by the State are suspicious and should be a serious cause of alarm. 

More than these overt acts, clearly, Mrs. Arroyo again abused her powers granted to her. It is clear that Mrs. Arroyo's declaration is just to show her political enemies that she is still in power and is still a major political force to contend with.