Congress approves third Martial Law extension

Good move. This was how the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command (AFP Centcom) described Congress’s move to extend Martial Law in Mindanao until 2019.

Army Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez, Centcom’s information officer, said the extension will help prevent incidents such as what happened in Marawi City.

It will help corner residual forces from the Marawi takeover to go to other places, such as in Lanao Province.

He said Martial Law in Mindanao will also affect the peace and order situation in Central and Eastern Visayas.

“It is more of an advantage. Nakikita ko naman, wala naman siyang disadvantage dahil yung effect for that declaration mas naging safer yung mga tao in the whole island of Mindanao to include yung mga immediate vicinity particularly mga adjacent islands the visayas region yan po yung immediate na makaka benefit nitong martial law (We see that there is no disadvantage since the effect of the declaration is that it made the people safer in the whole island of Mindanao, including the adjacent island in the Visayas),” said Martinez.

The Senate and House of Representatives, voting 235-28-1 in a joint session Wednesday, Dec. 12, approved a resolution extending for the third time the martial law in Mindanao until Dec. 31, 2019.

Both houses of Congress also extended the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, which would allow law enforcement agents to arrest persons of interest even without a warrant of arrest.

Twelve senators voted in favor of the extension, five objected, and one abstained. In the House of Representatives, 223 voted in the affirmative, 23 negative, and zero abstention.

Among the dissenters are Reps. Gary Alejano (Magdalo), Kaka Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands), Christopher “Kit” Belmonte (Quezon City), Gabriel Bordado (Camarines Sur), Arlene Brosas and Emmi de Jesus (Gabriela), Ariel Casilao (Anakpawis), France Castro and Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers), Sarah Elago (Kabataan), Edgar Erice (Caloocan), Edcel Lagman (Albay), Josephine Sato (Occidental Mindoro), Amihilda Sangcopan (Anak Mindanao), Tom Villarin (Akbayan), and Carlos Zarate (Bayan Muna).

It was Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. who made the motion to extend the martial law on the part of the House of Representatives. Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri made the same motion on the part of the Senate.