Martial Law in Maguindanao: BAYAN says:

Martial Law in Maguindanao

Now, therefore I, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and by law, do hereby proclaim as follows:

Sec. 1: There is hereby declared a state of martial law in the province of Maguindanao except for the identified areas of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as referred to in the implementing operational guidelines of the GRP-MILF agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities.

Sec. 2: The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall likewise be suspended in the aforesaid area for the duration of the state of martial law.

Done in the City of Manila this 4th day of December in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Nine.

(Originally Signed)

Gloria M. Arroyo

By the President:

(Originally Signed)

Eduardo Ermita
Executive Secretary

Congress in Joint Session

House Speaker Prospero C. Nograles and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile jointly preside over the historic opening of the joint session of Congress at the Batasan Pambansa solely convened to tackle Presidential Proclamation No. 1959 declaring Martial Law in the province of Maguindanao, following the gruesome and brutal killing of more than 50 people including more than a dozen members of the media. The ongoing joint session will vote on whether to concur or revoke the presidential edict. Shown are Senators and Congressmen listening intently during plenary proceedings of Congress which converted itself into a "committee of the whole" to allow members of the President's Cabinet, led by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera, and DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno, to explain and answer all queries raised in plenary to justify the presidential proclamation.

Friday, December 4, 2009

BAYAN says:

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said that while it wants justice for the victims of the massacre, it cannot support a measure that is "both dangerous and questionable."

"We demand the lifting of Martial Law in Maguindanao and the restoration of the civilian government institutions. Martial Law cannot solve the problem of state-sponsored warlordism and violence in the province,"

"We must not allow this scenario to be replicated in other regions for whatever pretexts. If Arroyo can declare martial law for reasons not defined in the constitution, imagine what she can do before the 2010 elections,"

Martial Law in Maguindanao