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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Palace contradicts Duterte on ML

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AN OFFICIAL said Monday Malacañang had no intention to ignore the oversight functions of the Supreme Court and Congress on its implementation of martial law in Mindanao.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella contradicted President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier statement that he would ignore the judiciary and both houses of Congress over his martial law declaration and instead listen to the military. 

Amid the calls for Congress to convene for a joint bicameral session to deliberate on the merits Duterte’s martial law declaration in Mindanao, Abella said Duterte would strictly follow any decision that would be made by the two co-equal branches of government over his martial law declaration.

“The President will listen actually,” Abella said. 

“But then, at the end of the day as commander-in-chief, he deserves the right to make decisions. Of course, he is listening. He is a listening President.”

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Abella made his statement even as Rep. Lito Atienza reminded Duterte to follow the constitutional provisions following his imposition of martial law in Mindanao.

He was reacting to Duterte’s statement that he would not listen to the Supreme Court or Congress as to when he would lift martial rule in Mindanao. 

Rep. Gary Alejano also criticized Duterte’s statement.

“He may be the President, but he is not above the law. No one is,” Alejano said.

Abella said what Duterte meant was that the state forces had the accurate information that would guide him on what to do.

“The President meant that those who are truly aware of the situation are the military and the police,” Abella said. 

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella

“This is not meant to bypass the Supreme Court of the legislative. It simply means that those who have true and accurate report on which he will depend on will be the military and the Philippine National Police.

“What the President is actually saying is that the one with the accurate information regarding the activities on the ground are those he has said he will trust.”

Abella’s response came after Duterte said he would ignore the Supreme Court and Congress even if the Constitution gave them the power of oversight.

“Until the police and the Armed Forces say the Philippines is safe, this martial law will continue. I will not listen to others. The Supreme Court, Congress, they are not here,” Duterte told soldiers on Saturday in Jolo. 

“Are they the ones dying and losing blood, bleeding, hemorrhaging because there is no help, no reinforcement? It’s not them.” 

The 1987 Constitution requires Congress to approve a President’s declaration of martial law and limits military rule to 60 days. If a President wants to extend it, he or she must again get congressional endorsement. The Supreme Court, meanwhile, can also rule on martial law’s legality.

“The Supreme Court will say they will examine  the factual [basis]. Why, I don’t know. They are not soldiers. They do not know what is happening on the ground,” Duterte said.

Duterte on Tuesday imposed martial law in Mindanao following the clashes in Marawi City between the military and the Maute group that is trying to establish a caliphate in the area.  

Armed Forces spokesperson Restituto Padilla said martial law could only be terminated if peace and order had been restored in Mindanao. With Maricel V. Cruz

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