December 2009 Archives

(This is a copy of what I live blogged. For a backgrounder see my entry Martial Law konfrontasi.)

4:08 PM

Ricky Carandang reports quorums exist and joint session will begin shortly. Expected to last until 9 PM with continuation tomorrow. Each chamber will have 10 hours alloted for questioning; administration officials will testify as "resource persons."

4:11 PM

Both maces in their stands, signifying session has begun.

4:14 PM

Kabataan Party List Tweets "opening prayer asks for discernment, wisdom on whether or not to revoke martial law, justice for victims of Ampatuan massacre."

4:17 PM

UP Law Dean Leonen on ANC expresses opinion House members may actually display some independence because it's an election year. He expects administration officials to supplement President's report with "new evidence" of rebellion. ANC Alerts Twitter account reports Leonen's opinion: Rebellion case vs. Ampatuans to continue even if Congress revokes martial law in Maguindanao.

Together with Edgardo Angara and his former martial law nemesis, Juan Ponce Enrile (who, however, dangles a face-saving proposal for Congress to reduce the time frame of the proclamation to less than 60 days), Joker Arroyo among his senate peers, is foursquare behind the President's imposition of martial law. The leading lights of the ruling coalition in that chamber, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Lito Lapid, have yet to form an opinion. The rest oppose.

Tomorrow at 4PM, the Senate and the House of Representatives assemble in Joint Session to tackle the President's imposition of martial law on most of Maguindanao. While it would have seemed logical, given the Constitution's requirement for Congress to convene without need of call, within 24 hours, to deliberate on any proclamation of martial law or suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, Congress hasn't moved with alacrity now that both have come to pass.

This early on, House officials are saying the public should expect a raucous session ("chaotic" is one word being bandied about).The Supreme Court, in the meantime, has deferred issuing a restraining order but has expressed awareness of the need for prompt action by giving the government only five days to submit its comment on the consolidated cases questioning the imposition of martial law.