Supreme Court urged: Compel Congress to convene on martial law

MANILA, Philippines - Another petition questioning President Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao was filed before the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday.

Unlike the first petition filed on Monday by opposition lawmakers that sought to nullify Proclamation No. 216, the latest appeal is seeking the issuance of a mandamus to compel Congress to convene to review the declaration.

The petition was filed by former senator Rene Saguisag, former Commission on Elections chairman and constitutional commission member Christian Monsod, detained Sen. Leila de Lima, former congresswoman Loretta Ann Rosales, former Philippine Health Insurance Corp. director Alexander Padilla and law professor Rene Gorospe.

Over 300 lawyers, led by former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, signified their support for the petition.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez were named respondents.

The petitioners specifically questioned the actions of Congress to issue separate resolutions expressing support for martial law in the south following attacks by the Maute group in Marawi City last month.

Last May 31, the House of Representatives approved Resolution 1050 while the Senate adopted Resolution 388 expressing support for the declaration of martial law in response to the report submitted by the President as required by the Constitution.

Oral arguments set

In full court session yesterday, SC justices ordered the executive branch to answer the petition filed by members of the minority in the House of Representatives led by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman that sought to void the martial law in Mindanao.

The SC also set the petition for oral arguments from June 13 to 15 at 10 a.m.

The high court required the respondents led by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to submit their comments on the petition on or before June 12, Independence Day, at noon.

The preliminary conference on the case was set at 2 p.m. on the same day.

Solicitor General Jose Calida, who will represent the executive officials, earlier expressed confidence that the high court would dismiss the petition.

Calida described as “a symptom of psychosis since they are detached from reality” the argument of petitioners that there exists no rebellion or invasion to justify the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

In the petition, Lagman and six other congressmen asked the high court to exercise its power under the Constitution to review the President’s martial law declaration. – With Delon Porcalla