HOUSE Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez warned that the two co-equal branches of government might go head to head if the Supreme Court (SC) will issue a directive and compel both houses of Congress to convene and discuss the Mindanao-wide martial law.
In an ambush interview on Thursday, Alvarez said the SC cannot "dictate" the House of Representatives and Senate to hold a meeting and deliberate on the martial law declared by President Rodrigo Duterte covering the entire Mindanao.
“Balikan muna nila (petitioners) ang law books. How can the Supreme Court dictate Congress what to do? Co-equal body 'yan. O, mag-issue ng direktiba ang Supreme Court telling Congress, dictating Congress na mag convene kayo ng joint session, punitin ko yan,” said Alvarez.
“Basta kami hindi kami susunod kung anong sabihin ng Supreme Court diyan dahil wala silang karapatan para diktahan ang Kongreso kung anong dapat naming gawin," he added.
Three petitions have been filed before the SC regarding the controversial declaration of Duterte. Two of those are seeking the Congress to convene to review martial law, while the other is pushing for its nullity.
Alvarez said there will be a looming "constitutional crisis" if the Supreme Court will favor the petitioners.
“Eh talagang magkakaroon ng constitutional crisis. At hindi namin kasalanan 'yun,” said Alvarez.
The House Speaker even claimed that the martial law is outside the jurisdiction of the high court.
“Ipinasa ko na sa Office ng Solicitor General [ang aming comments since I was a respondent]. At ang position natin doon walang jurisdiction ang Supreme Court d'yan,” Alvarez said.
Under the 1987 Constitution, both houses of Congress shall deliberate and vote jointly whether they will revoke or extend the President's declaration of martial law.
But the House of Representatives and the Senate have both decided to do away with the joint session since they said they favor the proclamation anyway. (SunStar Philippines)