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Congress extends martial law in Mindanao for third time
Congress on Wednesday approved the request of President Rodrigo Duterte to extend martial law in Mindanao for the third time.
In a joint session led by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the Batasan Pambansa, 235 lawmakers voted in favor of extending martial law for one more year.
The Senate voted 12 yes, 5 no and one abstain while House of Representative voted 223 yes and 28 no. Senator Ralph Recto abstained.
"Pursuant to the constitution and rules of the joint session, the motion to further extend the proclamation of martial law and the suspension of the privileged of the writ of habeas corpus hereby approved by the Congress," Arroyo said.
The extension of martial law in Mindanao will take effect on January 1 to December 31, 2019.
After the voting, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said there is nothing in the president's letter that will justify the extension.
"Martial law is like an antibiotic. It is only resorted to when normal over-the-counter drugs no longer work. We must not resort to it when other, less extreme measures are available," said Drilon, who voted against the extension.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, who also voted against the extension, said the third implementation of martial law will pose a "new threat" as it will cover the May 2019 elections.
During the joint session, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said "the people of Mindanao deserved to experience the same peace and security that we in this hall of Congress feel."
"We cannot turn a blind eye to the reality that Mindanao is still in the midst of rebellion," Medialdea said.
Duterte requested for the third extension of martial law because local and foreign terrorist groups persists.They recruited members and carried out violent acts such as bombings.
Security officials were present in convincing the Congress to extend Proclamation 216.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said extending martial law is not legal since the president declared the liberation of Marawi last October.
But Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal said 143 arrests have been made in Mindanao from January 1, 2018 to December 12, 2018 in relation to martial law extension.
Madrigal said all 143 person were charged with "rebellion".
Lagman then asked Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana if terrorism and public clamor are grounds and basis for extending martial law.
"Yes, your honor if they are tied up with rebellion which what they did in Marawi (City) and what they are now doing also in other parts of Mindanao such us Sulu and Basilan," Lorenzana explained.
"It is not as per our constitution Mr. Congressman but we listen to our people," he added.
Lorenzana said 180 "terrorists" remain at large but said those people can be arrested anywhere in the country as a warrant of arrest is prepared against them.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra clarified that based on the Constitution, effectivity of extension of martial law depends on the Congress as the original declaration has a limited period of 60 days.
"Section 18 of Article 7 mentions a limited period of 60 days for the original declaration of martial law but subsequent sentence clearly states that upon initiative of the President, Congress may extend the period of effectivity of martial law for such period of time as it may deemed proper," Guevarra said.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano said they received support and cooperation from local government units. He said people also gave them good feedback as they feel more secure and safe
"If you're a good citizen, you don't feel martial law at all. Fear is in the part of lawless elements," Ano said.
Some partylist representatives expressed fear of more human rights violations during the extension of martial law.
Madrigal said they have not received any legal complaints under martial law. "There have been allegations but these are not legally filed in court," he said.
According to Anakpawis Partylist Rep. Ariel Casilao said 155 cases were filed at the Commission on Human Rights on various human rights violations during martial law in Mindanao.
"We cannot differentiate between the martial law then and the martial law now because this is far worse than before," Casilao said.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said Mindanao improved under martial law as its regional gross domestic product up by 7.2 percent in 2017 from 6.3 percent in 2016.
"Unemployment rate in Mindanao down to 3.7 percent as of October 2018 from 5.4 percent in January 2017," he said.
"Approved investments in 2017 are P63.8 billion and in the first three quarters of 2018, we already have P63 billion and we are still waiting for more investments," Lopez added.
Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde reiterated that crime rate in Mindanao went down under martial law.
"The crime volume in the whole part of Mindanao in 2018 decreased by 44.2 percent. On index crime, the whole crime volume in the part of Mindanao decreased by 28,853 incidents or 32.8 percent in 2018," Albayalde said.
But Senator Francis Escudero said lower crime rate, improving economy and presence of New People's Army should not be a basis of martial law as it has been in the region for decades.
"This cannot be the new normal for Mindanao," he said.
"It can do so even without martial law. Let us give credit where credit is due. This was achieved by the administration not under martial law," he said.
A short suspension happened before they started voting after Lagman requested for copies of the letters of AFP and PNP recommending the extension of martial law in Mindanao, which were the basis of the President’s request to Congress.
Duterte first declared martial law in Mindanao during the Marawi siege in May 2017. It was later extended by joint session of Congress until the end of this year. Ella Dionisio/DMS
