PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he respects the opinions of the justices of the Supreme Court, including those who dissented, after they voted in favor of the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.
“Well, I really would give due respect to the opinions, [including] the dissenting [ones] questioning the martial law power of the President,” said Duterte during a visit to the family of the massacre victims in Bulacan.
Duterte, who had not received a copy of the Court decision yet, said he declared martial law over the entire Mindanao island, and not only in Marawi, because the crisis could easily spill over to other areas.
“When you declare martial law, you have to use your coconut.
The gray matter between your ears,” he said. “They [the terrorists] can go anywhere and [there will be] a spillover.”
Duterte said neither the military nor the police had urged him to declare martial law after the Maute group attack.
“They never said, ‘President, declare martial law.’ I was given the feedback of what was happening in Marawi, and I asked them, ‘What’s the situation?’. And they said, ‘Critical’,” the President said.
Solicitor General Jose Calida said the Supreme Court’s decision to affirm the declaration of martial law in Mindanao proves that there is a “real and present” rebellion in Mindanao.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines also hailed the decision.
AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the ruling would boost the morale of troops deployed in Mindanao, especially those battling the Maute terrorists in Marawi.
“The troops in the field together with the ground commanders will be very happy to hear about this. To all those operating in the rest of Mindanao, their actions are affirmed,” he told the ANC news channel Tuesday.
Asked if the military was keen on extending martial law, Padilla said they were still assessing the situation, but added that even if they win the battle for Marawi, the threat of extremism remains.
“We still have the whole Mindanao to attend to,” he said.
In a statement, AFP chief Gen. Eduardo Año said the Supreme Court ruling was “a vote of confidence” that what they were doing was right and necessary to restore the rule of law, and peace and order in the whole island of Mindanao.
“The mission is not yet done but we can assure our citizens that we are focused and determined to carry on the fight till peace and order in Mindanao is fully restored and the liberation of Marawi is achieved at the soonest time possible,” Año said.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said Tuesday he had no doubt about the validity of the President’s martial law declaration.
“Nothing surprising with the Supreme Court decision,” he said. “The Court was just doing its job.”
Senator Panfilo Lacson said factual basis for the proclamation was clear enough, and that there could not have been any other ruling as overwhelmingly decisive as the one rendered by the Court.
“I knew we did right in supporting the martial law proclamation in Mindanao when we debated on it in caucus and in plenary. I can only hope that none of our Senate colleagues will call the magistrates lapdogs and cowards of the administration,” said Lacson, a member of the majority bloc in the Senate.
Another Duterte ally, Senator Richard Gordon, said the decision shows there was a strong factual basis for the declaration of martial law.
He said now is the time to fix the situation not only in Marawi but in the whole of Mindanao.
“Now that the President has the support of the Court and Congress, he should use that support, not to be over confident, but certainly because we believe that there is situation occuring in the country that must be solved.”
Senator Miguel Zubiri said he was relieved that the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the President’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao.
“This is a welcome development so that the government’s security forces can continue their pursuit and clearing operations against these Maute terrorists and their affiliates, without a cloud of doubt on their mandate to do so,” said the Mindanao lawmaker.
He said the government must now focus and concentrate on getting rid of the terrorist menace in the whole of Mindanao and start the rehabilitation plan of all the affected areas so to achieve normalcy and ultimately economic development and inclusive growth in the region.
Senator JV Ejercito said if there were a need to extend martial law, he would call for a joint session of Congress and seek an update from the government’s security forces.
He called for unity in the face of the suffering in Marawi City.
Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said he hoped the war in Marawi would end soon.
“We call on our government to fast-track all efforts to bring Marawi back to its feet,” he said.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said that with the ruling, the President now has a free hand to use all necessary means to crush the Maute terrorists, once and for all.
Senator Gregorio Honasan said the Supreme Court decision showed that democracy was at work in a pluralistic society.
“Whatever the issue, Congress legislates the executive implements and the judiciary rules on questions of law and of fact. Whatever its flaws, democracy in its worst forms are much better than no rules, which is anarchy. Everything else is procedural,” he said.
Opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan said the government must ensure that human rights are protected against abuses.
“As soon as the fighting ends, the government must buckle down to work and start rehabilitation efforts,” he said.
Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV said he respected the Court’s decision and the Armed Forces at the front line of the battle.
“Still, we must remain vigilant and safeguard the rights of our countrymen until the firefight ends and martial law is lifted,” he said.
Defeating the terrorists is not enough, said Aquino as he noted that solving poverty is key in eradicating terrorism and insurgency.
But opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros said it was a sad day for Philippine democracy and said the Court missed an opportunity to stand up against what she called “creeping authoritarianism.”
In the House, lawmakers welcomed the decision.
Reps. Karlo Alexei Nograles of Davao City, Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte, Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar, Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela, Raneo Abu of Batangas and Harry Roque of Kabayan party-list said the Court put to rest any questions on the validity of the President’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao.
““Even the scope of his declaration was correct, when he covered the entire island of Mindanao under martial law to protect its inhabitants and ensure that the rebellion and terrorism would not cross over the other islands of Visayas and Luzon,” Nograles said.
Barbers, who comes from Mindanao, said the decision was a clear validation of the President’s resolve to crush the Maute rebellion.
“Putting the entire Mindanao under martial law proved to be a wise move as it prevented possible reinforcements from reaching the rebels in Marawi,” Barbers added.
But Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano insisted there was no need to declare martial law to suppress acts of terrorism by the Maute group.
“Further, placing the entire Mindanao under martial law is difficult to comprehend and justify when the crisis is taking place only in the province of Lanao del Sur,” said Alejano, a staunch critic of President Duterte.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling will set a dangerous precedence… We, in the Magdalo, will study Supreme Court’s decision and its implications on our democracy,” Alejano added.
An ally of the Liberal Party, the Akbayan party-list group, warned of “creeping authoritarian rule” with the Supreme Court decision.
Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin expressed fear that Duterte might extend his martial rule to the whole country to aid his brutal war on drugs.
“Now that he is cloaked with such authority, President Duterte might push it to the limit and declare a drug-induced nationwide rebellion by terror groups. Martial law becomes a hard habit to break,” Villarin said.
Vice President Leni Robredo said despite the decision, Congress must review the martial law implementation.
“The Supreme Court decision on Proclamation No. 216 is an affirmation of the democratic process set in our Constitution. This is an important component of the mandated checks and balances to martial law,” she said in a statement.
“We expect that Congress will likewise fulfill its Constitutional duty to review, on behalf of the people, the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.” With Rio N. Araja
