The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the petitions filed by four different groups and affirmed the legality of the third extension of martial law in Mindanao.
“The Supreme Court ruled to uphold the constitutionality of the extension of the declaration of martial law and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao until December 31, 2019,” new Supreme Court spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka told reporters after the high court met as a group.
Malacañang hailed the decision, saying the executive, legislative and judiciary branches of the government are “on the same page” in fending off the rebellion with the implementation of martial law in Mindanao.
“We are pleased to note that the three separate and independent branches of government, the primordial duty of which is to protect the state and secure public safety, have forged a unified stand against the forces of rebellion and terrorism,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
“As we fast-track the rehabilitation of the war-torn Marawi and promote security and peace and order in Mindanao, we ask the Filipino nation not to waver in their support for our Republic’s defenders,” he said.
“Let us remain vigilant and prevail against these anti-democratic forces.”
Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo welcomed the decision and said it proved that the House was correct in approving the request from President Duterte.
“It’s good. We [are] happy [about it] because we voted to extend it,” Arroyo told reporters at the House of Representatives Tuesday.
Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel echoed Arroyo.
“That was good news for us Mindanaoans because we have a problem of insurgency and this hinders our development,” Pimentel said.
But Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro of ACT Teachers, members of the Makabayan Bloc, condemned the decision.
The Defense department also welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision.
The department said the public could rest assured the authorities would remain steadfast in their duty to safeguard the communities from the threats of rebellion, terrorism and violent extremism.
Hosaka said the magistrates voted 9-4 to uphold the martial law extension.
Those who voted in favor of the extension were Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin and Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Mariano Del Castillo, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, Jose Reyes Jr., Ramon Paul Hernando and Rosmari Carandang.
The four who dissented were Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Marvic Leonen, Francis Jardeleza and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa,
Hosaka said Carandang was “the ponente or writer of the martial law extension decision.”
Carandang became newest member of the high court after she was appointed to the post by the President on Nov. 26, 2018, to take the place of Teresita Leonardo De Castro after her appointment as Chief Justice.
Congress, in a joint session in December, voted 235-28-1 in favor of extending martial law in Mindanao for the third time, and until the end of this year.
Opposition lawmakers claimed that another extension of martial law in Mindanao had no factual legal basis and that the violent incidents there were not acts of rebellion but rather acts of terrorism that could be addressed without resorting to martial law.