No joint session on martial law report

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate and the House of Representatives will not hold a joint session on the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, but senators are set to grill security and Malacañang officials on Monday regarding the situation in the South.

President Duterte submitted copies of Proclamation 216 declaring martial law and suspending the writ of habeas corpus to Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Thursday night in Davao City, beating the constitutional deadline by about five minutes.

Duterte also submitted a seven-page report enumerating his justifications for implementing martial law and suspending the writ.

Several if not all of the senators immediately received through their email or smart phones photos of the documents apparently taken by Pimentel using his phone, but many of them opted to remain mum on the contents of the report.

Solicitor General Jose Calida believes the Senate and the House will give consent to the martial law declaration, stressing it is needed to put an end to the terrorist group Maute that lay siege on Marawi City in Lanao del Sur last Tuesday.

“The ball is now in Congress. If Congress will not say anything about it, then there’s no problem. In other words, it will be considered as acquiescence,” Calida said.

He pointed out that the declaration is justified because of a “clear and present danger,” blaming the Maute group for aligning itself with international terrorist group Islamic State (IS).

“What’s happening in Mindanao is no longer a rebellion of Filipino citizens. It has transmogrified into invasion by foreign terrorists who heeded the clarion call of the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) to go to the Philippines if they find difficulty in going to Iraq or Syria. It is the dream of the Maute group, which has pledged allegiance to the ISIS and to its flag, to transform Mindanao into an Islamic state or in their language Daulah Islamiyah,” he added.

“The least we can do as law-abiding citizens is to repose our trust in the wisdom and determination of President Duterte to (exorcise) this evil from our land,” he said.

He pointed out that security and intelligence units have monitored IS and Maute literature and publications containing orders to their adherents to attack the Philippine government and establish a “wilayat” or IS province in Mindanao. 

They are not only ordered to attack the government but also people whom they consider “infidels,” whether Christian or Muslim, and if they are hiding in cities.

The solicitor general said he is worried that a number of Filipino Muslim youth have been radicalized by IS beliefs as reportedly evidenced during the Davao City bombing in September last year.

Executive session

On May 29, when Congress resumes session, all 293 House members will convene as a Committee of the Whole to discuss the martial law declaration. 

Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said this executive session is required on matters involving national security so details like locations, tactics and strategy of those involved in the rebellion and the government forces fighting it will be discussed.

Sens. Francis Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros were pushing Thursday for the holding of a joint session so the public would be better informed.

But Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said this call is not necessary because it won’t be of any help, adding that the lawmakers could have their questions answered on Monday when National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año and possibly another official from Malacañang appear for Monday’s briefing.

“We will definitely scrutinize it (Duterte’s report) and determine whether or not there is factual basis for (martial law),” said Sen. Richard Gordon in a telephone interview. 

Sen. Gregorio Honasan, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense and security, read the report but declined to publicly comment except to remind everyone of the importance of showing “patriotism and statesmanship through sober and responsible statements.”   – With Christina Mendez, Evelyn Macairan, Delon Porcalla, Marvin Sy