MANILA (Updated) – Both houses of Congress convened in a joint session Saturday, July 22, to vote on the request of President Rodrigo Duterte to extend the martial law in Mindanao until end of this year.
The joint special session, which started at 9 a.m., was attended by 21 out of 23 senators and 259 out of 291 congressmen.
Lawmakers initially tackled the 10-page rules that will govern the joint session.
As Senator Vicente Sotto moved for the Senate to approve the rules, Senator Franklin Drilon questioned the length of interpellation, saying two minutes per lawmaker is too short a time to discuss the meat of the issue.
Drilon wants five minutes for interpellation but Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III wants four mines.
Drilon said "we won't quibble" with one minute.
House Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas moved to adopt the rules, but Lagman rose to say he only read the rules now.
This prompted Fariñas to suspend the session to provide all lawmakers with copy of the rules.
Debates about the proposed rules of the joint session, specifically Section 14, started as Lagman wants explanation of vote simultaneous with casting of vote.
Lagman's motion to amend rules was defeated by a viva voce vote and the rules of the joint session were approved by the House as amended.
Resolutions of both chambers were read and were adopted.
Under the Constitution, the congress, voting jointly, has the sole power to extend martial law.
A majority vote of the two chambers voting jointly is needed, or at least 158 of the 134 members of Congress, is needed to pass the motion.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel said lawmakers agree to finish the joint session around 4 p.m.
As of pointing, lawmakers are interpellating Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea after he explained to Congress the reason for the President's request to extend the martial law until December 31 this year. (SunStar Philippines)