Koko welcomes petitioners’ move: ‘SC should be referee’

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. NINO JESUS ORBETA/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III welcomed on Tuesday the filing of a petition at the Supreme Court (SC) compelling Congress to deliberate in joint session the martial law declaration in Mindanao.

“If there are differing interpretations of a constitutional provision, then the Supreme Court should step in as the referee,” Pimentel said in a text message to reporters.

“Let us be guided by the Supreme Court pronouncement on the issue,” added the Senate leader, who is backing the martial law declaration in the southern region as infighting in Marawi City erupted between government troops and Islamic militants.

Pimentel, an administration ally, was also among the 12 senators, who junked a resolution calling for a joint session of Congress to deliberate on the martial law declaration.

READ: Voting 12-9, Senate ditches minority’s bid for joint session to tackle martial law

The resolution was initiated by six opposition members — Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Antonio Trillanes IV and detained Senator Leila de Lima.

De Lima and other personalities — constitutionalist Christian Monsod, former Senator Rene Saguisag, former party-list Akbayan Representative and Commission on Human Rights chair, Loretta Ann Rosales, former PhilHealth Director Alexander Padilla and law Professor Rene Gorospe — elevated the issue to the high tribunal this Tuesday.

READ: SC petitioners seek High Court intervention on martial law declaration

Pimentel’s own father, former Senate President Aqulino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. also believes that Congress has a constitutional mandate to tackle in joint session the martial law declaration.

“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 last week. IDL/rga

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