Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law across the southern third of the country in May 2017 after deadly clashes between security forces and Islamic State group-linked militants in a major city.
Duterte placed all of the southern region of Mindanao, which makes up roughly one third of the country and is home to 20 million people, under martial law.
Philippines Supreme Court has now endorsed President Rodrigo Duterte’s enforcement of martial law across the southern part of the country.
An overwhelming majority of the justices dismissed the petition filed by the Opposition lawmakers to strike down President’s martial rule.
Meanwhile, militants continue to occupy parts of Marawi, the Islamic capital of the mainly Catholic country, despite a US-backed military offensive there that has claimed more than 460 lives and displaced nearly 400,000 people.
Martial law is particularly sensitive in the Philippines because it was used by dictator Ferdinand Marcos to remain in power during his two-decade reign, which ended in 1986 with a “People Power” revolution.