INAPRUBAHAN ng Kongreso ang hiling ng Malacanang na palawigin ng isang taon ang martial law at pagsuspinde sa writ of habeas corpus sa Mindanao sa 2019.
Sa botong 235-28 at isang abstention inaprubahan sa joint session ng Senado at Kamara de Representantes na ipagpatuloy ang pagpapatupad ng batas military hanggang sa Disyembre 31, 2019.
Ito ang ikatlong pagkakataon na pinalawig ang martial law sa Mindanao na kailangan umano upang mapanatili ang kaayusan sa lugar dahil nananatili pa rin ang banta ng terorismo roon.
Idineklara ang martial law matapos na lusubin ng Maute group ang Marawi City.
Sa joint session sinabi ni Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea na target nilang tapusin ang rebelyon sa Mindanao.
“We call on Congress to allow the further extension of Proclamation 216 to put a decisive end to this ongoing rebellion, and thereby, remove a long-standing obstacle to the full rehabilitation and development of Mindanao,” ani Medialdea.
Sinabi ni House Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu na mayroong batayan ang hinihingi ng Malacanang.
“The extension of Martial Law in Mindanao is in accordance with the Constitution and I believe that the President has considered all information before asking for such extension,” ani Abu.
Kabaliktaran naman ito ng sinabi ni Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman. “The extension of Proclamation No. 216 has no factual and constitutional anchorage because what is being extended is now functus officio after the President announce on October 27, 2017, more than one year ago, the liberation of Marawi City from the Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorists and their influence, and the subsequent announcement of Martial Law Administrator Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on the cessation of combat operations,” ani Lagman.
Ganito rin ang punto ng lider ng Muslim group na si Samira Gutoc na nanood sa deliberasyon.
“It has been almost two years since the siege in Marawi, but Mindanao is still under Martial Law. It has not only failed to achieve its purpose, but it has also deterred the delivery of basic services to those displaced by the fighting, and that includes putting food on the table,” ani Gutoc.