Speaking before the Davao City Chamber of Commerce last Saturday, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to impose martial law if the “integrity of the nation depended on it.” To make matters worse, he ranted that “not even the Supreme Court or Congress can stop me.” Many of us who saw and heard him say this on live TV coverage were of course alarmed at the outlandish statement.
The integrity of the nation? The nation’s integrity actually started going downhill when he assumed the presidency as he went on a ranting rampage with his expletive-laced tirades against Pope Francis and US President Barack Obama. Not even the Supreme Court or Congress can stop him? This remark can only cast serious doubt about the president’s understanding of the Constitution even if he finished law in San Beda College and successfully passed the bar.
We are reprinting his exact statements in quotes so no one can accuse us of irresponsible journalism as Miscommunications Secretary Martin Andanar has already described reporters covering the President’s speech. Andanar said the coverage meant to sow panic and confusion. Remember this is someone whose experience in journalism, as we know, was limited to being a TV news reader on Channel 5. Yet it’s the press—the messenger of bad news—that Andanar blames for his boss’ disconcerting statements. For his canine loyalty to his boss, Andanar was taken to task by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines for spinning the words of the President to what Duterte actually said and was factually reported.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, the official Senator Leila de Lima called as the purveyor of falsehood starting from his wig, stepped in to give Andanar a hand in explaining President Duterte’s martial law remark. He said the press, when reporting on what the President says, should be more understanding. He added that Digong mentioned martial law out of anger and frustration over the flak he had been getting from his war on drugs.
But why should the President be angry and exasperated? We thought he had things under control to the point of unleashing a mouthful of expletives against those criticizing him for the extrajudicial killings of suspected drug pushers and users. Except for the US, the UN and the EU and other human rights groups, the majority of Filipinos so far support his relentless campaign against the narcotics trade. This, from the surveys conducted by the Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia.
Again, so why threaten to impose martial law if you are in full control and you have the police and the military at the forefront of the war against drugs? Is this a long-range plan to stay in power, beyond a six-year term of the president?
The declaration of martial law under the 1987 Constitution must not last longer than 60 days with the concurrence of Congress. And if Congress approves, any citizen can raise the issue and question its legality before the Supreme Court. The legal basis for the Chief Executive to declare martial law, according to the Constitution, are any of the following: Invasion, rebellion, lawlessness and the breakdown of public order. Former President Ferdinand Marcos laid down these legal foundations which existed when he declared martial law in September 1972.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman was joined by Senators Ralph Recto and Franklin Drilon in denouncing Duterte’s threat to declare martial law as without basis and subject to legal challenge by an ordinary citizen. Only in cases of invasion, rebellion or breakdown of public order can the president declare martial law, they pointed out. Senator Antonio Trillanes IV warned the people to prepare to fight another dictator.
A recent Pulse Asia survey showed 74 percent of Filipinos opposed the imposition of martial law. Is Duterte prepared to sweep aside this overwhelming sentiment of the people?
Compare Duterte’s bellicose threat to impose martial law to his government’s limp-wristed response to China’s continuing military buildup in the South China Sea. After a report from a US think tank, the Chinese are installing anti-aircraft and missile platform on the artificial islands they built in the disputed waters, the Department of Foreign Affairs filed a weak diplomatic protest with the Chinese embassy in Manila. There is no invasion yet by the Chinese but their continued military buildup near the West Philippine Sea is practically fencing in and preventing our fishermen from sailing into what were once considered part of our territorial waters.