The Palace on Monday called on the military to come up with its recommendation whether the implementation of martial law in Mindanao needs to be extended before Congress adjourns its sessions on December 15.
“They asked for 30 days. I think we should wait word from the Armed Forces of the Philippines on or before the date of expiration but I think it has to be done before Congress goes on break,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Roque said in a news briefing at Davao City.
“Because expiration is on the 31st, if we decide for an extension, then Congress may have to call a special session and cut short its Christmas break,” he added.
Roque’s statement came after the AFP had expressed its intentions to request for another extension of the martial law to fully address remaining threat groups, including the Abu Sayyaf group and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which have reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
Congress is scheduled to adjourn session for the Christmas break on December 15, and will return to session on January 15 next year.
Last July 22, Congress, in a joint session, overwhelmingly approved Duterte’s request to extend martial in Mindanao until December 31, 2017.
A 60-day martial law was initially declared by Duterte in Mindanao on May 23 following the attack of the Maute group in Marawi City. The city has since been declared “liberated from terrorist influence” last October 17.
Meanwhile, the Palace also said that it sees no reason to establish a revolutionary government in the light of mass actions on November 30 by President Rodrigo Duterte’s supporters in support of the initiative.
“We appreciate the calls of the President’s supporters for revgov but I think there’s no factual or legal basis as of now,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in the same press briefing.
“The President has said that he will consider a revolutionary government if destabilizers will persist in their plan to have him removed from office. Now, I stress, we don’t see any such threat in the near future,” he added.
Roque said the President continues to enjoy “tremendous public support,” as he cited Duterte’s 80-percent approval rating, according to a Pulse Asia survey conducted last September.
“We don’t see any threat, any such threat in the near future. The President enjoys 80 percent approval rating; he was duly elected; he had a margin of 5 million votes from the second highest candidate. So he is the de jure, he is Constitutional; he enjoys tremendous public support; he has the support of Congress. So we see no reason to declare a revolutionary government,” he said.
“We appreciate the support of the President’s supporters, of course. But we assure them the President is on top. He was duly elected and he remains hugely popular,” Roque adds.
Duterte himself has recently floated the idea of a revolutionary government, only to dismiss it days after.
