President Duterte to ask for 60-day extension of martial law in Mindanao

Special session of Congress set on Saturday

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte will be asking for a special session of Congress to seek a martial law extension in Mindanao by another 60 days.

The special session will be held on Saturday, July 22, where the matter of the need for a martial law extension will be discussed.

“The President’s call for a special session is necessitated by the exigency to deliberate on the possible extension of the period of effectivity of Proclamation 216, which will end next week,” said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella.

“Congress has to discuss and consider the actual parameters to extend martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus,” he said.

Proclamation No. 216 of President Duterte on martial law in Mindanao only sets 60 days for its effectivity. Martial law in Mindanao was declared on May 23 and is set to expire on July 22.

House Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas has already informed congressmen about the special session.

According to the 1987 Constitution, the martial law proclamation may be extended “for a period to be determined by the Congress, if the invasion or rebellion shall persist and public safety requires it.”

Government forces battling Islamist extremists in Marawi City earlier claimed that they are close to defeating the terrorists who had earlier taken siege of the Islamic city in the Southern Philippines,