Alvarez: No rush in deliberating Mindanao martial law

HOUSE Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Thursday maintained that there is no urgency for Congress to convene and discuss President Rodrigo Duterte’s proclamation placing the entirety of Mindanao under martial law.

In a radio interview, Alvarez disclosed that at 10:26 p.m. Wednesday, his office received from Malacañang a copy of Duterte’s Proclamation Order 216, declaring a state of martial law and suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the whole of Mindanao.

“Ngayon, kung ito ay i-report niya personally, we have to convene Congress para tanggapin at pakinggan yung kanyang report. Pero kung ito ay gagawin niya in writing, hindi na kailangan na mag-convene kami agad-agad, unless mayroong desisyon yung mga miyembro na kailangang mag-convene kami at pag-usapan yung kanyang report,” Alvarez explained.

The Speaker noted that "there is nothing in the Constitution" that requires Congress to sit down immediately after the President has submitted his report on the declaration of martial law.

On late Tuesday, Duterte from Moscow, Russia, declared martial law in Mindanao following attacks in Marawi City led by Isis-inspired terrorist group Maute.

Upon his return, the President was quoted as saying that his martial law "will be harsh," likening it to the one-man rule of late President Ferdinand Marcos.

However, Alvarez reiterated that the public "should not be alarmed" over possible abuses since the Constitution remains in effect, and that the courts as well as civilian authorities "continue to function."

The Philippines was placed under martial law for the first time in 1972 by the late dictator Marcos. His regime was marred by human rights abuses that led to his ouster and paved way for a revision of the Constitution implementing stricter guidelines in declaring martial law. (SunStar Philippines)

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