BANGKOK – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte angrily threatened to declare martial law after accusing communist rebels of killing two soldiers who were escorting food and cash deliveries during a coronavirus quarantine.
Duterte also approved during a meeting with his Cabinet extending the lockdown in metropolitan Manila and several provinces and cities up to May 15, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Friday.
A lockdown in the main northern Luzon region of more than 50 million people was set to expire on April 30. “I’m warning everybody and putting the armed forces and the police on notice that I might declare martial law.