President Duterte has no intention to bypass the Supreme Court and Congress on the Martial Law declaration and even proposed that the military and the police hold a dialogue with the two other branches about the real security situation in Mindanao.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella issued the statement in a bid to clarify reports the President supposedly would ignore the two branches of government in his implementation of Martial Law in the South.
“The President meant that those who really are truly aware of the situation are the military and the police. This is not meant to bypass the Supreme Court or the legislative,” Abella said in a Palace press briefing.
“It simply means to say that those who have true and accurate report – and true and accurate report – in which he will depend on will be the military and the Philippine National Police,” he said.
He made clear that the President will still listen to the SC and Congress but will have to rely on the security forces on the duration of the martial rule in Mindanao.
“He is a listening President,” Abella said. “But at the end of the day…as Commander-in-Chief, he deserves the right to make decisions,” he added.
The Palace suggested a dialogue among the military, police, the Supreme Court and Congress so they could get accurate information about the situation on the ground.
“They should be in dialogue,” Abella said. “They should be in conversation and they can continue to make decisions and they can continue to make recommendations.”
In his remarks before troops in Jolo, Sulu last weekend, the President said he would listen only to the military and the police, not Supreme Court and Congress, on the duration of Martial Law in Mindanao. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)