Speaker: It’s Congress that must listen to President

It’s the job of Congress to listen to President Duterte on the matter of martial law and not the other way around, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said on Tuesday.

“Nothing in the Constitution says the President has to listen to Congress …. If I were President, I would also say, ‘I won’t listen’ [to Congress]. We are the ones who should listen, not the President,” Alvarez told a press conference a day after the House of Representatives convened itself into a Committee of the Whole to discuss the President’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

For her part, however, Vice President Leni Robredo urged the President to “take back” his statement that he would not
listen to Congress and the Supreme Court on his martial law declaration.

“We trust that the President realizes that such reckless statements only further add to apprehension felt by many citizens. We must reassure our people that whatever situation may arise, their leader will remain faithful to the Constitution,” Robredo said in a statement.

But Alvarez shrugged off criticism by opposition lawmakers that Congress was being submissive to the President by refusing to hold a joint session of the House and the Senate immediately to review Mr. Duterte’s proclamation last week.

“Does it mean, if the President is doing the right thing and we say he is doing the right thing, we are being subservient? That’s a very unfair statement,” the Speaker said.

Alvarez, a bosom buddy of Mr. Duterte, said the public should look at the situation objectively. “To those saying that, they should go to Marawi, so they will feel how extensive the problem is there.”

Not from Mindanao

“Many of those complaining are not even from Mindanao,” said the Davao del Norte
lawmaker.

Mr. Duterte placed the entire Mindanao under martial law for 60 days in response to the siege of Marawi City by armed militants from the Maute group.

“If you’re from there, you will feel the need [for martial law]. The President made the right decision …. If you’re not from there, be silent for the meantime. We are the ones concerned; that’s our security we’re talking about,” Alvarez said. —WITH A REPORT FROM NIKKO DIZON