Pimentel ‘intends to win’ vs. petitions calling for joint session on martial law

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Sunday said he is confident that Congress will win over petitions filed before the Supreme Court, which insist on a joint session to discuss the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

“On behalf of the Senate, I intend to win the joint session case in the SC,” he said in a message to reporters on Sunday.

His pronouncement comes days after his counterpart at the House of Representatives, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, insisted that the High Court has no jurisdiction to issue such a directive to Congress.

The Speaker has even threatened to rip such an order, if the High Court rules in favor of two petitions filed on the matter by several individuals, including a group of lawyers and government officials such as detained Senator Leila de Lima, former Senator Rene Saguisag, and lawyer Christian Monsod, one of the authors of the 1987 Constitution.

Pimentel said there would be “no damage” if Alvarez does this because “the decision [he] would be tearing up is a decision in our favor.”

“All’s well that ends well,” he added.

Under the 1987 Constitution, Congress, via a joint vote, may revoke the President’s proclamation, or extend it beyond the 60-day period provided.

The Constitution also gives the Supreme Court the authority to review “in an appropriate proceeding filed by any citizen, the sufficiency of the factual basis” of the proclamation.

The High Court is given 30 days from filing of the petition to promulgate its decision.

Congress leaders, including Pimentel and Alvarez, have reiterated their stand against the holding of a joint session, saying there is no need since majority in both chambers are supportive of President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to place the whole of Mindanao under martial law.

Both Houses have approved and adopted separate resolutions to express this sentiment, though members of the opposition have spoken against these.

The first of several petitions against Duterte’s martial law at the Supreme Court was filed by members of the House’s independent minority bloc, including Reps. Edcel Lagman (Albay), Tom Villarin (Akbayan Party-list), Emmanuel Billones (Capiz), Teddy Baguilat (Ifugao), and Gary Alejano (Magdalo Party-list).

While they criticized Congress leaders’ refusal to conduct a joint session on the matter, the lawmakers’ petition centered on the supposed lack of sufficient basis for Duterte’s declaration.

The High Court has set oral arguments next week for the opposition lawmakers’ petition, which will be consolidated with two other similar petitions.

Meanwhile, the two petitions calling on the SC to order a joint session in Congress will be treated as a separate matter. — BM, GMA News