CONGRESS is expected to approve President Rodrigo Duterte's request for a one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao, but minority senators will still put their objections on record.
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Tuesday, December 12, that he was confident that Congress will accede to the President's request, saying there is factual basis for the extension.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon on Tuesday, December 12, said Drilon noted that majority of the members of both houses of Congress are allied with the President.
"It is expected that notwithstanding our reservations and opposition, the Congress will authorize the extension of martial for one year in the entire Mindanao, as requested by the President. So we will go through the motions. Ultimately the Supreme Court will have to decide on this, whether or not there is, in fact, a factual basis for the extension of martial in the entire Mindanao," Drilon said in a statement.
Drilon said their objections would be based on constitutional grounds.
"We will raise constitutional issues. There is no armed uprising or actual rebellion, which is a requirement under the constitution for an extension," he said.
Congress is scheduled to tackle on Wednesday, December 13, Duterte's request for an extension of martial law in Mindano until December 31, 2018.
Martial law was declared in Mindanao on May 23, 2017, shortly after fighting broke out between government troops and Maute terrorists in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.
Under the 1987 Constitution, martial law is good only for 60 days. Congress, however, approved before the July 22 expiry of the declaration Duterte's request for an extension until December 31 this year.
While Marawi has been liberated and authorities have declared an end to the war , Duterte cited the continued threats posed by other terrorist groups and the communist rebels, whom he also recently branded as terrorists.
In his December 8 letter to Congress, Duterte said martial law is needed to "ensure total eradication of Daesh-inspired Da'awatul Islamiyah Waliyatul Masriq (DIWM), other like-minded Local/Foreign Terrorist Groups (L/FTGs) and Armed Lawless Groups (ALGs), and the communist terrorists (CTs) and their coddlers, supporters, and financiers."
He said remnants of the Maute group were trying to rebuild their organization by recruiting more people from Maguindanao, Sulu, Basilan and North Cotabato.
Alvarez told critics of martial law that he does not see any reason why Congress should deny the president's request.
"Para sa akin na taga-Mindanao, I don't see any reason why hindi pagbibigyan (For me, who is from Mindanao, I don't see any reason why Congress should not approve it)," Alvarez said.
This is Alvarez' message to the critics who say that there is no factual basis for the extension: "Pumunta sila dun sa Mindanao (Go to Mindanao)."
The Davao-based solon said rebellion and terrorism, which have plagued Mindanao for so long, could end under a martial law regime.
Asked by reporters if there is a constitutional impediment to the planned extension, he said: "Para sa akin, wala kasi hndi naman 'yan aaprubahan kung may problema sa batas (For me, there's none. That won't be approved if it's not legal)."
As of press time, members of the House of Representatives were being briefed by officials from MalacaƱang, including Executive Secretary Salvador Meldialdea and Delfin Lorenzana, on the current situation in Marawi and their reasons for recommending an extension.
The Senate and the House of Representatives will vote jointly on the President's request Wednesday. (With PS Jun Sarmiento/SunStar Philippines)