Social media has been on overdrive mode these past two weeks, mainly due to the ongoing military operation to retake Marawi City from armed men.
If this once picturesque university town, the capital of Lanao del Sur, now looks like a war-torn Arab city, the arguments and discussions about it on Facebook and Twitter have escalated into a “civil war” of sorts—a keyboard battle pitting pro- and anti-Duterte sectors of the population, including a number of Filipinos overseas.
The hottest issue dividing them is martial law—whether or not its declaration in Mindanao is justified, and whether or not President Duterte’s rambling threat to extend it to the Visayas and Luzon is called for.
Some of the more sensible comments:
“Mauto Group—fanatics… easily seduced by promises of ending drugs, crime & corruption in 3 to 6 months, and riches flowing in from China. They favor EJKs & constitutional shortcuts.”
“Invalid martial law, useless Congress. Even if the Executive and Legislative collude to implement a constitutional shortcut, it does not make the act constitutional. It also does not overrule the Supreme Court, the final arbiter of the Constitution.”
To make matters worse for the government, its Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) uploaded on its website a badly produced video rallying people to support “martial law… now.”
Said an incredulous netizen: “Hoy, Andanar, ano ba sinisinghot niyo d’yan?”
“May sayad din, confirmed.”
Disturbingly coming on the heels of the video—which was taken down only a few hours after its posting—was an attack on Resorts World Manila allegedly involving a lone gunman, whose violence led to the deaths of over 30 guests and employees.
One comment went like this:
“Major news networks: Gunshots heard at Resorts World Manila!
Madlang People: Oh, no! Script leading to martial law.
Ka-DDS 1: Galawang dilaw para magiging masama ang imahe ng ating mahal na presidente.
Ka-DDS 2: Si Trillanes ’yan. Remember Oakwood and Peninsula?
Mocha Uson posts pictures of Paris attacks and asks people to pray for the RWM victims.
Sassot: Protect the motherland. Protect the president.
Contreras: Nasaan ang magaling niyong VP?
A civil society group, after posing the question, “Is Resorts World the new Plaza Miranda?” got these replies:
“Not yet. There’s too much noise. More than Plaza Miranda, this is more a desensitization. More things to come. Small things. Events that won’t hit the public too hard. Events designed to condition us to shrug off gradually intensifying events. And when Digong’s failing health requires him to pass the presidential baton to Bongbong, that’s when the public willingly accepts whatever concocted event they need to declare martial law.”
“Pakamatay kayo mga traidor puro self-interest laman ng utak. LP—Laging Paninira.”
“It has yet to be known whether this has anything to do with those hungry for martial law.” —POCHOLO CONCEPCION