MALACAÑANG on Tuesday said it respects the move of the petitioners asking the Supreme Court to compel Congress to hold a joint session on President Rodrigo Duterte's declaration of martial rule in Mindanao.
“It’s a democratic process. They can go ahead and do so,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella told a press conference when sought for reaction on the filing of petition asking the high court to require the Senate and the House of Representatives to convene and discuss the validity of proclamation of martial law in conflict-torn region.
On May 23, Duterte issued Proclamation 216 declaring Martial law in Mindanao, following the raging gunbattle between government troops and the Maute terror group in Marawi City.
In compliance with the 1987 Constitution, Duterte submitted to both the House of Representatives and the Senate his full report containing the basis of his imposition of military control in Mindanao.
Duterte's allies in the House and Senate had already approved separate resolutions expressing support for the declaration of martial law.
On Tuesday, petitioners including Senator Leila de Lima, former Commission Human Right chair Loretta Ann Rosales, and former Senator Rene Saguisag filed a petition for mandamus before the SC, calling for both chambers of Congress to determine the constitutional and factual validity of Proclamation 216.
Abella, however, deemed as “irrelevant” the appeal of petitioners to the high court to direct Congress to hold a joint session on martial law declaration in Mindanao.
“Perhaps, it is really irrelevant,” the presidential spokesperson said.
On Monday, the "independent minority bloc" of the House of Representatives also filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of Duterte's imposition of martial law in Mindanao.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo had said that the declaration of martial law should not be questioned because there is "ongoing rebellion right now in Mindanao." (VoxPop Philippines)
