By Jeffrey Damicog
Justice Secretary Guevarra has expressed confidence that any petition filed before Supreme Court (SC) seeking to stop another martial law extension in Mindanao is bound to fail.
“For as long as the government can clearly show that there is factual basis for the further effectivity of martial law, then that petition is bound to fail,” Guevarra told reporters during a press briefing Monday afternoon.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
He issued the statement after some groups have threatened to file a petition before the SC to question the Congress’s approval of another extension of martial law in Mindanao.
Last Dec. 13, the House of Representatives and the Senate held a joint session and approved the request of President Duterte to extend martial law, set to end by Dec. 31, 2018, to December 31, 2019.
Guevarra said Congress has been presented intelligence information brought before the President as basis to recommend another martial law extension.
“The Supreme Court will have to bank on the same set of facts already laid before Congress before they overwhelmingly voted to extend the effectivity of martial law in Mindanao for another year,” he reiterated.
On the other hand, he assured that if the factual basis no longer exists, martial law may be cut short.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
He issued the statement after some groups have threatened to file a petition before the SC to question the Congress’s approval of another extension of martial law in Mindanao.
Last Dec. 13, the House of Representatives and the Senate held a joint session and approved the request of President Duterte to extend martial law, set to end by Dec. 31, 2018, to December 31, 2019.
Guevarra said Congress has been presented intelligence information brought before the President as basis to recommend another martial law extension.
“The Supreme Court will have to bank on the same set of facts already laid before Congress before they overwhelmingly voted to extend the effectivity of martial law in Mindanao for another year,” he reiterated.
On the other hand, he assured that if the factual basis no longer exists, martial law may be cut short.