MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has agreed to hold a joint session with the Senate to concur or revoke Proclamation 1959 that placed Maguindanao province under martial law.

Speaker Prospero Nograles said this was the decision reached following an all-party caucus with congressmen Monday afternoon.

The date of the joint session was not yet determined as both the House and the Senate have yet to draft common rules of procedure that would govern the session.

The House leader said the joint session would serve as "historic precedent" that would be the basis of future Congresses in the event that martial law is declared in the country.

He stressed that only the proclamation would be tackled in the joint session, not charter change.

Nograles formed a panel that would meet with its Senate counterpart to discuss the rules in a meeting at 8 p.m. Monday at the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel.

Nograles said the lawmakers want to listen first to all the arguments before deciding whether to concur with the proclamation or revoke it.

"We can't agree to concur or revoke unless we have the facts and to get the facts we must listen," he told reporters in a news conference.

"We are ready to debate with them," he added.

Nograles earlier said he believes there was no need for a joint session to concur with the proclamation. He said majority of the congressmen are backing it.

Congress has five session days remaining before it goes on another month-long break.

The House panel that would draft the rules is composed of Majority Leader Arthur Defensor, Representative Neptali Gonzales Jr., Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora, House secretary general Marilyn Yap, and the chamber's legal team.