Palace confident SC will uphold martial law extension

Malacañang is confident that the Supreme Court (SC) will uphold the continued imposition of the martial law in Mindanao, citing that it was required to keep the island safe.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after opposition lawmakers asked the SC to void the third extension of martial law.

Martial law and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao were extended for the third time before 2018 ended. The third extension will last until the end of 2019.

According to Panelo, there was really nothing new with the grounds raised by the opposition lawmakers against martial law. He added that like before, the SC will uphold the extension of martial law.

"The grounds cited by the opposition in opposing the third extension of martial law are more or less similar with the grounds cited in the previous petition in opposing the second extension of martial law," he said Sunday.

"We are confident that the continuing rebellion in Mindanao as well as the demands of public safety requires the continued existence of martial law in that area, and the Supreme Court will uphold its continued imposition," he added.

President Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law after conflict broke out in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur in May 2017 between government forces and pro-Islamic State terrorists. The conflict lasted for five months.

Duterte has asked the Congress to extend martial law for three times already, citing the need to keep the island safe from terrorists and other threats.

However, opposition lawmakers, led by Representative Edcel Lagman, asked the SC on Friday to invalidate martial law's third extension, saying it violates and mocks the 1987 Philippine constitution.

According to the petitioners, contrary to the claims of the administration, rebellion does no exist and persist in Mindanao and that safety was not in peril.

"President Duterte's letter dated 06 December 2018 to the Congress initiating a third extension failed to demonstrate the sufficient factual basis for his request, and his allegations of lawless violence and terrorism were not connected to rebellion," Lagman said in a statement.

Lagman also said that the martial law declared in May 2017 cannot be extended because it has accomplished its purpose of ending the Marawi siege.

"The accumulated 891 days is an enormous increase of 1,485 percent over the original period of 60 days, which defied the constitutional intent of limiting the duration of martial law and any extension thereof," Lagman said.