Opposition warns: Nationwide martial law possible after SC ruling

MANILA, Philippines — Some members of the opposition on Wednesday warned that a nationwide martial law was possible after the Supreme Court upheld the move of President Rodrigo Duterte to extend military rule in Mindanao for one year.

In separate statements, Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino, Rep. Gary Alejano (Magdalo), and former Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Loretta Rosales all criticized the decision of the High Court and emphasized that martial law extension did not have sufficient basis.

Rosales, whose petition was consolidated with those from former Commission on Elections Chairman Christian Monsod, a group of congressmen led by Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay) and another group led by Rep. Carlos Zarate (Bayan Muna) and Rep. Ariel Casilao (Anakpawis), said the ruling appeared to be “motivated less by principle of checks and balance” but rather by “loyalty” to the executive department.

“[I] am sorely disappointed that the SC's Majority voting pattern appears to be motivated less by the principle  of checks and balance and thus, protection of public interest against discretionary abuse on the part of other branches of government,  as it is influenced by loyalty to the incumbent Executive power,” Rosales said in a statement, adding that she still considering filing a motion for reconsideration.

Both she and Alejano maintained that the extension of military rule in the southern Philippine island was devoid of basis as the 1987 Constitution allowed such an edict only when there was an actual rebellion or invasion and when public safety warranted it.

“Moreover, the threats that supposedly require the extension could already be suppressed through regular military operations,” Alejano, a former Marine officer, said in statement.

One implication of this ruling is the possibility that the government will place the entire nation under martial law, according to them.

Alejano said that this had become a possibility with President Rodrigo Duterte’s control of Congress, frequent threats of a revolutionary government and the inclusion of Maoist rebellion as bases of the extension.

“The ruling legitimizes authoritarianism as the new normal for Mindanao and prepares the ground for the entire nation,” Rosales said.

“With the decision to support the extended martial law, it opened the possibility of an indefinite martial law being declared in the whole country without clear basis,” said Aquino who lamented the fact that the ruling came in the month when former dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ousted from power by a military-backed revolution in 1986.

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Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian meanwhile slammed the political opposition for branding the decision of the Supreme Court as a “failure of the rule of law.”

The senator, who is part of the Senate majority caucus, stressed that strict constitutional checks and balances that regulated the power to extend military rule were observed in good faith.

He emphasized that all branches of the government agreed with the extension, and this was precisely “the rule of law at work.”

“The political opposition cannot simply proclaim its failure because they disagree with the result,” he said in a statement as he urged everyone to support the government’s efforts to extirpate the rebellion and violent extremism in Mindanao.

Alejano meanwhile urged everyone especially independent constitutional bodies to stand their ground amid a “looming tyrannical threat.”