Senators have expressed concern over the five-year martial-law option floated by Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez, even as Senate leaders left the door open for a possible extension of the 60-day martial rule imposed by President Duterte to crush Maute terrorists in Marawi City when it expires on July 22.
Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III pointed out that any proposal to extend the martial-law imposition must come from Malacañang.
“My position is that extension of martial law must be requested by the President,” Pimentel told Senate reporters on Tuesday. “The idea that we need to extend martial law should come from him, not from anyone else,” he said.
The Senate President surmised that Alvarez may just be sending signals he is open to the five-year martial-law idea, and was just “telegraphing his personal position” on the issue, if such a request is made by the Palace.
Asked if he was inclined to back the Speaker’s position, Pimentel said he would first read the martial-law report they expect Malacañang to submit to Congress detailing what happened during the current 60-day martial-law imposition in Marawi.
Senate Majority Leader Vicente C. Sotto III hinted that senators may vote in favor of a Palace request for the martial-law extension, but not one lasting five years as suggested by Alvarez. Sotto suggests that the Speaker may just be airing “a personal opinion” on the issue.
Sen. Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, who hails from Mindanao, opted to reserve his comments on the Speaker’s five-year martial-law extension plan until after the lawmakers’ meeting with Duterte “this coming week”.
“But personally, it [five-year extension] is way too long without justification,” Zubiri told the BusinessMirror, adding: “Okay with me is an extension to include the period of rehabilitation for the affected areas.”
Pimentel indicated that senators are likely to firm up their decision when a report is submitted to Congress on “what happened during the martial-law implementation and what were achieved”.“Then, we measure this based on the goals from the start,
when martial law was declared; what were the goals, and then what will be the justification or grounds for extending it,” he added.