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Publisher’s Note
by CK May is the month of flowers not just in the Philippines but also here in Calgary. A lot of my neighbors have done their spring cleaning and unfortunately I cannot cope up with them. I remember that during this time of the year my husband, Hank gets busier day by day. He takes care [...]
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No martial law under Duterte gov’t – Speaker

Martial law will never happen under the Duterte administration, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez told a news conference yesterday.

Asked why he was so confident in making such a statement, Alvarez said, “I know him, he will not do it.”

The President has declared a state of lawlessness following the market bombing in Davao City two weeks ago.

Many people feared a martial law declaration would follow such a pronouncement.

As for the proposal of Sen. Richard Gordon for Congress to suspend the writ of habeas corpus to strengthen the administration’s fight against illegal drugs, Alvarez said he would study it.

Other congressmen said Gordon’s proposal is unnecessary.

Opposition Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay said Duterte has the authority to suspend the writ of habeas corpus without prior authorization from Congress “in case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it.”

However, he said the suspension would “apply only to persons judicially charged for rebellion or offenses inherent in or directly connected with invasion, not to drug related cases.”

“Gordon’s proposal falls into the perceived calibrated scheme of the President increasingly exercising emergency powers, from a declaration of a state of national emergency on account of lawless violence to possibly culminating in a declaration of martial law,” he said.

Rep. Harry Roque of party-list group Akbayan said Gordon’s proposal is “patently unconstitutional.”

“Section 18, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution states that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can only be suspended by the President by reason of invasion or rebellion, and subject to legal and judicial challenge on legal and factual basis,” he said.

“The writ of habeas corpus has been, and still remains, the best guarantee for the right to liberty. Suspending the writ of habeas corpus and revoking civil liberties is a slippery and dangerous path to martial law. And as no such invasion or rebellion has occurred, there is no legal standing for the President to suspend the writ,” he said.

For his part, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said the Gordon proposal “is unwarranted as it may even lead to more human rights violations.”

“As it is, some concerns on the guidelines of Presidential Proclamation 55 on warrantless arrests are already being raised and should be clarified by Malacañang. The fight against drugs and terrorism should go full steam ahead but not at the expense of human rights and civil liberties that our countrymen have fought for so hard to attain,” he said.

More checkpoints

With the country under a state of national emergency, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director Ronald dela Rosa has ordered his men to set up more checkpoints in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Dela Rosa’s directive came after a visit to the regional police headquarters of the Mindoro-Marinduque, Rombon, Palawan (Mimaropa) region Thursday evening.

“I have given instructions to police Director Benjamin Magalong, the PNP deputy chief of Operations, to coordinate with the AFP to tap the services of the military to gradually assist and reinforce our policemen (at checkpoints),” Dela Rosa said.

Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos, PNP spokesman, said Dela Rosa’s order would be enforced on a round-the-clock basis.

“The order aims to further intensify already implemented checkpoint operations as target hardening measure,” Carlos said.

While in Oriental Mindoro, Dela Rosa instructed Mimaropa police regional director Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor to be on guard for terror activities, especially in the tourist areas in Palawan and Mindoro.

AFP-JTF NCR deputy commander Col. Vicente Gregorio Tomas, meanwhile, said that 200 soldiers have been placed under the operational control of various police districts in Metro Manila to help man checkpoints.

“Our role is very clear – we only act as support to PNP. The police will be the lead,” Tomas said.

On proposals to grant Duterte emergency powers to address the transport crisis in Metro Manila and other urban centers, Sen. Grace Poe said the Senate is resolved to swiftly deliberate on the matter and come up with a decision before the Christmas break. – With Paolo Romero, Jaime Laude

No martial law under Duterte gov’t – Speaker

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