Palace says Duterte has not ordered military deployment for ECQ

Malacañang clarified that President Duterte has not yet issued a formal order to deploy the military to enforce the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) regulations.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stated that while the President possesses the extraordinary power to call out the military, this authority has not been exercised.

Roque explained that the military's preparations are a natural response to the President's mention of potential military involvement.

The President had previously warned of possible military enforcement of quarantine measures if citizens continued to defy the stay-at-home policy.

Duterte had likened the potential military enforcement to a declaration of martial law and told the military and police to be ready.

However, Roque clarified that the President's pronouncement was not a martial law-like measure but rather the exercise of his 'calling out power'.