Congress has power to tackle martial law in joint session, says Nene Pimentel

Former Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. AFP FILE PHOTO

Without saying that President Rodrigo Duterte was wrong in declaring martial law in Mindanao, Congress, as a whole, should not “ignore” its mandate to discuss the declaration in a joint session, former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. said on Thursday.

“May I just clarify that I disagree, not necessarily only with the stand of the Senate majority, but of Congress, as a whole, for their ignoring the mandate of the Constitution to tackle the move of the President to impose martial law in the entire island of Mindanao,” Pimentel said in a statement.

READ: Duterte declares martial law in South

“This is not to say that the President is wrong in imposing martial law in Mindanao.  Admittedly, he has relevant information that we, as a people, know nothing about.”

“That is why the Constitution requires the President to report to Congress as our legislative body within 48 hours from the proclamation of martial law and for Congress to hold a joint regular or a special session within 24 hours either to revoke or suspend, extend such proclamation …” the former senate president added.

Pimentel was at the Senate Thursday morning for the necrological service of the late Senator Eva Estrada Kalaw.

His son and namesake, incumbent Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, was among the 17 of 23 senators who voted in favor of a resolution supporting the martial law declaration in Mindanao.

Duterte placed the region under martial law last May 23 as government troops clashed with the Maute terrorist group.

Over 100 people have reportedly died since the armed conflict broke out. JPV/rga