Senator: Respect Supreme Court

Senator Risa Hontiveros urged allies of President Rodrigo Duterte to heed the Supreme Court (SC) should it order Congress to convene in order to tackle the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

Hontiveros made the statement after House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said that the majority bloc won’t heed the SC if it compels them to convene.

She also denied the “fake reports” circulating on social media that she is supporting the Maute terror group.

The senator was at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City yesterday and spoke on the protection of civil liberties.

She said that Alvarez must re- spect all branches of government.

“It is not right to say that Congress will not heed the SC. The branches of government should respect each other. Otherwise, there will be chaos,” she said.

Seven opposition lawmakers earlier filed a petition before the SC questioning Duterte’s proclamation of martial law.

As to the “fake reports” circulating on social media, Hontiveros said these are worrisome.

“Instead of our institutions and the people getting the facts right, our netizens and citizens are bombarded with fake news that are conditioning their minds not to understand the truth or not to understand the real facts,” she said. /