MANILA, Philippines -- President Macapagal-Arroyo is set to finally break her silence on the week-long military rule she imposed in Maguindanao, talking in detail about the supposed ?dividends? of Presidential Proclamation No. 1959 before she leaves for a global climate conference on Wednesday.

Malacanang said on Monday efforts to question martial law before the Supreme Court had become ?moot and academic? because the proclamation was lifted effective 9 p.m. last Dec. 11.

Referring to Ms Arroyo?s critics, Gary Olivar, one of her deputy spokespersons, said, ?nobody denies that these people have the right to ask for a ruling from the high court.?

?What we question is whether they are right in asking for it,? he said in statement he read in a media briefing.

Olivar identified ?dividends which the President plans to describe in greater detail before she leaves for Copenhagen this week,? citing arrest and filing of charges against suspects in the mass killing in Maguindanao.

?They are incontrovertible because nobody has seriously questioned their factuality?only the manner by which they were achieved,? he said.

Ms Arroyo has kept mum about PP 1959, preferring to have Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita make the formal announcement on its Dec. 4 imposition the following morning and its revocation a week later.

Ms Arroyo also did not show up to personally justify the importance of placing Maguindanao under martial rule during the historic joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives last week.

In discouraging critics from continually questioning PP 1959 before the high tribunal, Malacañang called attention to pieces of evidence gathered against the powerful Ampatuan clan and their armed followers while martial law was in effect.

?If the high court rules against the exercise of martial law that transpired, what will this do to the dividends that were achieved? What will this mean for the arrests that were made, the charges filed, the evidence collected? Will these gains become what is called ?poisoned fruit??? Olivar asked.

He also cautioned: ?Will we then be required to release the suspects, throw away the evidence, even drop the charges??

?We look forward to getting thoughtful and responsible answers to questions like these. Otherwise, we shall end up being treated to just another episode in the long and endless trial by publicity of this President,? he said.

At least 638 alleged members of the Ampatuans? private army have been charged, according to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde. He said they belonged either to civilian volunteer organizations or the Citizens' Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu).

?The recent limited-term, limited-scope declaration of martial law in Maguindanao yielded substantial dividends,? Olivar said.