Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has said she is considering martial law to quash Muslim separatists hostage takers after two soldiers were killed in violent clashes.
Martial law is the prerogative of the president.
A state of emergency would give the military and police powers to detain people without arrest warrants. Asia More news from our Asia edition Arroyo used the same strategy last month to quell an alleged coup plot after thousands of supporters of former leader Joseph Estrada assaulted the presidential palace. The Philippines is sensitive about martial law. In 1972, late dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law to quell what he said were threats from communist rebels. But Marcos used the wide-ranging powers to stay in office for the next 14 years, in the face of increasing opposition to his regime.