Cardinal Quevedo, Archbishop of Cotabato, in behalf of the bishops of Mindanao, has released a statement that they are not rejecting martial law.

They balance this oblique position by encouraging their faithful to “be obedient to the just commands of lawful authority, and not to provoke violent reaction.”

He also said, “We urge the government to remove the causes of terrorism, such as poverty and injustice, through just and accountable governance focused solely on the common good.”

The government appreciates support from all sectors, no matter how nuanced.