More senators seek joint session on martial law

MANILA, Philippines - More senators have joined a call for the holding of a joint session that would tackle President Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao and express Congress’ stance on the issue. 

Sen. Loren Legarda said the position of each member of Congress should be put on record, noting the issue is not ordinary.

Legarda said the Constitution mandates Congress to hold a joint session to consider the martial law declaration and the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. She said it is only proper that the public should know the position of each legislator on the issue.

“A decision whether to revoke or not can only be arrived at through such an exercise, wherein every legislator will express his or her affirmation or dissent,” Legarda said.

Since the 1986 people power revolution, Legarda said the country has not been placed in this situation.

“The constitutional provisions that were meant to ensure checks and balances among the three branches of government would require no less,” she said.

The matter of convening a joint session on the martial law declaration has become contentious due to the calls of several legislators to hold a joint session while their leaders said there is no need to do so.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez have said that a joint session of Congress would no longer be necessary since there has been no call to revoke the declaration.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Congress must not default on its constitutional duty to scrutinize the declaration and should call for a joint session. 

“How can we get the exact sense of the majority of the lawmakers if we don’t convene in a joint session? I hope the legislature is not taking the declaration of martial law lightly,” Hontiveros said.

She said the mandate of the Constitution is clear and there is no provision that says convening a joint session on the declaration of martial law is optional.

“The legislature has the constitutional duty to scrutinize the report of the President on the declaration of martial law before a joint session. We have the duty to evaluate if the declaration has basis or not. Even if the declaration seems to have the support of the majority of our lawmakers, the Constitution mandates us to listen to all voices, particularly those who raise legitimate concerns over the implementation of this proclamation,” Hontiveros said.

She said the joint session would provide legislators with the opportunity to put on record how they stand on the issue.

“The people deserve to know where their lawmakers stand on this important matter. If they believe that they stand on the right side of history, I don’t see why Congress can’t convene a joint session,” she said.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III has stated that a joint session would no longer be necessary and that all the questions the legislators have on the declaration and the situation in Mindanao could be addressed when the country’s security officials give them a briefing tomorrow.

Expected to brief the senators are Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said the members of Congress could not just apply the usual practice of coming out with an agreement among themselves.

“How would we know who is in favor and who is not? We must vote on this. This is something very important,” Trillanes said.

He said each legislator who favors the declaration should put their names on record so they can be held accountable should things turn bad during martial law. 

Meanwhile, Sen. Leila de Lima said Filipinos in Luzon and the Visayas might soon wake up finding martial law declared all over the country.

De Lima said any violent incident that may occur within Metro Manila or other major urban areas could give the President justification to declare martial law nationwide.

She said this is what the President wanted to happen since he assumed the presidency last year.