Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has indicated he may expand martial law in the south of the country, even though the Philippines constitution decrees it must last no longer than 60 days.

Mr Duterte declared martial law in the southern Mindanao island on May 23, “on the grounds of existence of rebellion” as Muslim extremists stepped up their activities in Marawi City.

The Government has said several times since that it is close to retaking Marawi from the Islamic State-linked Maute group, which seized parts of the city after a failed attempt by security forces to capture Isnilon Hapilon, the militants’ so-called leader of South-East Asia.

Addressing soldiers in the city of Butuan, north-east of Marawi, Mr Duterte said if the conflict escalated or spread, he would take unilateral action.

“If that rebellion burns Mindanao, and the other parts of the Philippines, and I’ll be forced to declare martial law again, this time I will not consult anybody, and there is no telling when will it end,” he said.

He said he could impose even tougher laws, along the lines of those put in place under dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Marcos ruled under martial law between 1972 and 1981, a period which was marked by complaints of human rights abuses as the government battled an armed communist insurgency.

Despite his threat of a stronger crackdown, Mr Duterte conceded he would be willing to revoke martial law if the Supreme Court found it unlawful.

ABC correspondent Adam Harvey tweeted this X-ray of his neck wound. Photo: ABC/Twitter

He warned the Islamist insurgency in Marawi had deep roots, but said the battle appeared to be winding up.

More than 300 people have been killed in the southern town, and almost the entire population of about 200,000 people has fled.

Last week ABC South-East Asia correspondent Adam Harvey was hit in the neck by a bullet while interviewing evacuees in what was thought to be a safe part of the city.

US special forces joined the Philippines military last week, as fears grew that Islamist fighters from elsewhere in South-East Asia and from the Middle East were involved in the fighting in Marawi.

“It’s difficult to fight those who are willing to die,” Mr Duterte said.

“They have corrupted the name of God in the form of religion to kill many innocent people, for nothing.”
-ABC/wires