Congress will rule on martial law if it takes up to last minute of July 22

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III. (File photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Congress definitely has to decide on Saturday, July 22, when it convenes in a joint session, whether it would allow the extension of martial law in Mindanao – even if the session, which starts in the morning, lasts until 11: 59 p.m.

“My point is when you extend something, it must still be subsisting so last day is Saturday,” Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said in an ambush interview on Tuesday. “We have to decide this Saturday.”

The 60-day period for martial law, which President Rodrigo Duterte declared on May 23, will expire on July 22.

Pimentel said the agenda of the session would be the letter of communication from the President formally requesting the extension or martial law until Dec. 31, 2017.

He said he would also suggest to Congress to ask the martial law administrator, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, to give them a briefing about the current situation on the ground.

Asked if the Congress could shorten the period of the proposed martial law extension, Pimentel said: “Theoretically, yes.”

“But the person who declared martial law asks for extension and has a preferred period. So don’t we put weight on the period requested by that person?” he said.
Pimentel, who also hails from Mindanao, admitted that he was surprised that Duterte was seeking for a five-month extension.

During the meeting with congressmen at Malacañang on Monday night, Pimentel said he discussed with the President the period of extension.

“I asked him: ‘What’s your preferred period of time, Mr. President? 60 days?’ He nodded. So I thought he wanted 60 days,” Pimentel said.

“Pero syempre alam ko na ang binding is ’yung written,” he added.. “Yung usap-usapan not counted ’yun. Kung ano ’yung formally ni-request in writing that is the one which counts.” /atm