CONGRESS is awaiting President Rodrigo Duterte's report on his declaration of martial law in Mindanao.
In the House of Representatives, Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas on Wednesday advised lawmakers to remain in Manila until Friday for a possible session to deliberate on their next move.
In the Senate, Senator Francis Escudero urged vigilance against possible threats to peace and order in their communities as lawmakers await the report detailing the basis for the declaration of martial law.
Duterte declared martial law at 10 p.m. Tuesday night while he was on a state visit in Russia. The declaration covers the whole island of Mindanao and will last for 60 days.
Under the Constitution, the President must submit a report to Congress within 48-hours from his proclamation of martial law, after which the lawmakers from both chambers, by a vote of at least a majority of all its members in regular or special session, may revoke or extend such proclamation.
"All members [of the House of Representatives] are advised to stay put in Manila. Under our Rules, our sessions are until Friday. The President will head back home ASAP...and we may have session as soon as we receive his official report," Fariñas said in a statement.
"We will have to wait for the report of the President in order for us to exercise our constitutional duty on the matter," he added.
Escudero, former Senate justice and human rights committee chair, said he is concerned by the peace and order situation in Marawi.
"While I am deeply concerned with such a declaration, I am also deeply disturbed by what is happening in Marawi. We must condemn any terroristic acts at all times. I will therefore await such a report and will vote accordingly as a member of Congress with only the best interests of our country and people in mind," Escudero, former Senate committee on justice and human rights chair, said.
Duterte, while in the middle of his trip in Moscow, Russia, had declared martial law in Mindanao following the clash of government troops and ISIS-inspired Maute Group in Marawi City.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a press conference in Moscow that details of the martial law will be "forthcoming."
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the declaration "entails the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, imposition of curfews and setting up of checkpoints."
"The defense secretary may have been mistaken about the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus because it is not automatic by expressed provision of the Constitution and should also be specifically declared by the President," Escudero pointed out.
The terrorist group has reportedly taken over establishments, including a school and a hospital, in the city. Marawi has also been experiencing total black out since Tuesday night.
Fariñas then advised the people of Mindanao to remain vigilant amid the threat from the group.
"In the meantime, we ask our people to remain calm and to keep safe...The Speaker and I will meet in a while and will call for the necessary military and police officials to give us a briefing," Fariñas said.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, for her part, urged the President to explain the reason why martial law was declared in the entire Mindanao.
"I await his written report to the legislature, which has the power to approve and revoke the said declaration," she said.
She also called on Duterte to adhere to the principle of proportionality and responsibility in addressing this serious security concern.
"There is no doubt that the Maute group should be punished for its atrocities. This however should not be done at the expense of the people's basic rights," she said.
Senators Nancy Binay, Paulo Benigno "Bam" Aquino, Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Francis Pangilinan expressed respect for the President's decision to declare martial law but they maintained that the rights of every Filipino be respected and the Constitution should be followed.
Zubiri who hails from Mindanao expressed the need for the people to rally behind the President insisting that the decision of the Chief Executive must be given full support of Congress and the people.
Aquino, on the other hand, said that the Filipino people must show support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines for risking their lives to ensure the safety and peace and order in Marawi and Lanao del Sur.
Pangilinan quoted the Constitutional prohibition that the state of martial law does not suspend the operation of the Constitution nor supplant the functioning of the Civil Courts or legislative assemblies, nor authorize the conferment of jurisdiction on military courts and agencies over civilian where civil courts are able to neither function nor automatically suspend the writ of habeas corpus. (SunStar Philippines)