The Senate and the House of Representatives are conducting a joint session at the Batasang Pambansa to tackle the formal request of President Rodrigo Duterte to extend martial law in Mindanao for one year.
Security officials of Malacañang are facing the lawmakers as resource persons.
They are led by Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
The President's cabinet members told senators and house members that state of rebellion continues in Mindanao.
Lorenzana reported that "terror groups are actively recruiting again. The rebellion has not stopped. It has just moved to another place."
Medialdea said "public safety requires further extension of martial law and the suspension of writ and habeas corpus in Mindanao to quell rebellion completely."
Members of the minority in both chambers are lining up to interpellate the resource persons.
Each lawmaker is given 3 minutes to pose questions to security officials.
Senator Risa Hontiveros recalled a supposed statement from Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque that the New People's Army was already a spent force.
Buhay Party-list Representative Lito Atienza believes the extension of martial for a year and not 6 months is a very long time.
