Martial law extended in Philippines 

This item appears on page 18 of the September 2017 issue.

Philippines’ president, Rodrigo Duterte, extended martial law on the southern island of Mindanao on July 22, moving the date of the end of martial law to Dec. 31, 2017. Originally, it was to end on July 31. Martial law was imposed to assist the military in its fight against insurgents operating on the island who have allied themselves with Daesh.

On July 30, the mayor of Ozamiz, Mindanao, was killed in his home, along with his wife and eight others, by police serving a warrant. Police said the mayor’s security force had opened fire on them. The mayor had been accused by Duterte of selling drugs. 

Since Duterte declared a war on drugs in July 2016, more than 7,000 people have been killed in extrajudicial executions on suspicion of dealing drugs.