Duterte: I will be quiet if I declare martial law

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED 6:13 p.m.) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday stressed that he does not have plans to declare martial law in the country but added that he would stay quiet if he decides to do so.

"I will not declare martial law at kung mag-declare ako ng Martial Law hindi ako mag-iingay," Duterte said in a speech in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

The president cited a military report that there is no compelling reason to impose martial rule in the country at this moment.

"If I feel as a president that I have to preserve my country, I will declare martial law," the president said.

Duterte noted the provisions in the 1987 Constitution which allow any Filipino citizen to file a petition before the Supreme Court to question the basis for declaring martial law.

The president said that the framers of the 1987 Constitution "destroyed" the provisions in connection to martial law because of their "hatred" for ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

"In the same paragraph, the president after 60 days should go to Congress for an extension if wants to... complete the slaughter. Ngayon pagdating sa Supreme Court, sabihin ng Supreme Court it is baseless, it does not amount to any legal basis, sabihin ng Congress go ahead because it is the national security which is at stake," Duterte said.

Different opinions coming from the Congress and the Supreme Court, both co-equal branches of the government, may produce a dilemma for the chief executive.

"Who decides now? Supreme Court sabi 'wag. Congress said yes. Who decides? It is the president so ako. It will discourage me to become a despot because I now can interpret the law itself and it is final," Duterte said.

A few days ago, Duterte said that he would declare martial law if the drug problem in the country becomes virulent. His communications chief then griped about the media's reporting on the president's statement.

Some senators have warned the president to stop making threats on martial law.

While he claimed to be no fan of martial law, the president repeatedly brought up the topic in his previous speeches.

Last August, Duterte scored Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno of meddling with his crackdown on illegal drugs and threatened to declare martial law if she continues to interfere with the campaign. The president apologized to the Chief Justice for what he described as "harsh words that were unintended."

Two months later, Duterte revealed that there are times that he was tempted to place the country under martial law because of the security problems hounding the country.

Last month, Duterte criticized the constitutional provisions on martial law that require the declaration to be reviewed by Congress and the Supreme Court.

Duterte said the president may decide on his own if the findings of Congress and the Supreme Court about the martial law declaration contradict each other.

The president reiterated the point in Wednesday's speech, saying the requirement could even encourage him to become a "despot."

"Any citizen of this country can bring the petition to question on the legal basis for declaring martial law but in the same paragraph after 60 days, should go to Congress for extension if he wants to, if he has to complete the slaughter," Duterte said.  

"If the Supreme Court says it has no basis… but Congress says go ahead because national security is at stakem the two would clash. Now who decides? It will be me," he added.

 "It will encourage me to become a despot because you can now interpret a law itself." — with Alexis Romero