Congress awaits Duterte’s letter on martial law

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte’s letter requesting the extension of martial law in Mindanao will be sent to Congress today, Dec. 11, according to House Majority Leader Rodolfo C. Fariñas.

In a message to reporters, Mr. Fariñas said this is according to a text message by Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea.

“I, of course, relayed it to the Speaker ( Pantaleon D. Alvarez) who said we will discuss it tomorrow,” Mr. Fariñas said yesterday.

“We will have to discuss it with our Senate counterparts,” he also said about Mr. Duterte’s letter, of which a copy each will be sent to the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Mr. Fariñas said this new extension of martial law will undergo the “(s)ame procedure we had when we extended it (for the first time).”

Mr. Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao on May 23 as Maute terrorists besieged the city of Marawi, provincial capital of Lanao del Sur.

Martial law was later extended to Dec. 31 following an eighthour joint session by Congress on July 22. Exactly five months later, on Oct. 23, Mr. Duterte declared the end of the siege but Mindanao remained under martial rule.

Last week, both the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines recommended the extension of martial law in Mindanao for another year, citing continuing threats by terrorist groups. —