THE heads of the country’s uniformed services — the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) — have recommended an extension of martial law by one more year in Mindanao. Congress, which is mandated by the 1987 Constitution to approve such requests, should deliberate on this matter in all seriousness, lest the military and police become used to getting their way so easily.

This would already be the fourth extension of martial rule in Mindanao if passed, which was originally imposed by President Rodrigo Duterte in May 2017 to quash the Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorists who laid siege on Marawi City and left its city center in ruins, much like Raqqa or Aleppo in Syria.