PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Friday he would respect any decision reached by the Supreme Court, which is set to hear five petitions against his declaration of martial law in Mindanao, after pro-Islamic State terrorists overran Marawi City on May 23.
“I will follow decision of Supreme Court on martial law,” the President said in a chance interview at Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. But the President said this would also depend on whether the military thought it advisable to lift martial law in Mindanao.
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez had earlier warned of a possible constitutional crisis if the Supreme Court compels Congress to hold a joint session on Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao.
Alvarez said the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction over Congress and could not order a co-equal branch of government to convene for a joint session, as two petitions are seeking.
Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao on May 23 while he was on an official trip in Russia following heavy clashes between government security forces and the Islamic State-linked Maute group in Marawi City.
In a speech before troops at Maguindanao on Friday, Duterte chided critics who continue to question his declaration of martial law, saying that Mindanao has already reached its “critical level.”
“To those who are asking when will this end, this is my answer to the doubting Thomases: I have no ambition to keep myself in power,” he said in Filipino.
Duterte said some political opponents have opposed martial law believing he wants to prolong his term.
“These fools think we are trying to perpetuate ourselves in power,” he said.
Duterte also said he would be willing to resign had his running mate, Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, or former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., won the race for the vice presidencey, and not Leni Robredo.
The Palace on Friday said the traditional vin d’honneur on Independence Day will be canceled after the President decided to focus on the conflict in Marawi City.
Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said that while Duterte would attend the flag-raising ceremony on the morning of June 12 at Rizal Park in Manila, he would then attend to more important matters concerning Mindanao.
The Vin d’honneur is the official diplomatic reception hosted by the President, on New Year’s Day and Independence Day.
Two more petitions were filed against martial law Friday, bringing the number of cases before the Supreme Court to five.
The fourth petition filed by leftist lawmakers and human rights activists asked the Court to strike down the martial law declaration for lack of sufficient factual basis.
The petition was filed by ACT Teachers’ Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas, Kabataan Party-List Rep. Sarah Jane Elago, Eufemia Campos Cullamat of Maluhutayong Pakigbisog Alang Sumusunod, Virgilio Lincuna of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Ateliana Huos of Gabriela, Roland Cobrado, Carl Anthony Olalo, and Renato Reyes Jr. of Makabayan.
The petition was the fourth against martial law, but only the second seeking the nullification of the President’s proclamation. The other petitions seek to compel Congress to convene in joint session to debate the martial law declaration.
Three Catholic bishops, meanwhile, also asked the Supreme Court to order Congress to call a joint session to debate military rule in Mindanao.
The petition was filed by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias and Kalookan Bishop Emeritus Deogracias Iñiguez.
“All we are asking is for the SC to order Congress to hold a joint session as provided in the Constitution,” Pabillo said.
He said that the joint session is necessary to find out, once and for all, if a martial law is necessary in the entire Mindanao.
“The purpose of the joint session is for the facts to come out behind the declaration of martial law,” he said.
A day before scheduled oral arguments at the Supreme Court, leftist groups led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) are planning nationwide protest actions to highlight their opposition to martial law and their support for peace and human rights.
Women from Marawi City have also petition the Supreme Court to annul Duterte’s proclamation of martial law in Mindanao.
Norkaya S. Mohamad, Sittie Nur Dyhanna S. Mohamad, Noraisah S. Sani, Zahria P. Muti-Pandi said the report submitted by President Duterte did not contain sufficient basis to show that the Marawi siege cannot be addressed by the other powers and resources of the government.
“Had governance collapsed in Marawi at the time of the Proclamation of martial law? Was the violence so widespread and overwhelming that government had broken down to the extent that only the military could establish a semblance of governance? If not, then martial law is not warranted,” said the petitioners represented by constitutionalist Christian Monsod and law professor Marlon Manuel of the Alternative Law Group.
