Speaker Nograles backs martial law in Maguindanao
MANILA - House Speaker Prospero Nograles is in favor of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's declaration of martial law in Maguindanao.
In an interview over dzMM on Saturday, Nograles said that "as a Mindanaoan, my personal opinion is, for a limited period of 60 days, I will support it so that the prosecution arm of the government can move freely and get the witnesses and gather evidence without fear."
"For 60 days, 2 months, para lang matapos yung evidence gathering, okay naman sa akin," Nograles, who will be running for Davao City mayor in next year's polls, said.
He noted that the government was having difficulty applying the rule of law with respect to the killings of 57 innocent civilians in the November 23 Maguindanao massacre since many witnesses and even judges are afraid.
De facto martial law
Nograles also said that there was already a de facto martial law in Maguindanao since the military "has been all over the place" after they took over the provincial capitol of Maguindanao last week.
"So this declaration of martial law there today, Proclamation 1959, is only an official declaration of what is a de facto situation there," he said.
Nograles also said there is no need for Congress to convene in joint session if it does not intend to revoke Proclamation 1959.
Under the 1987 Constitution, he said Congress can revoke the martial law declaration by a majority vote of both Houses in joint session.
"If they feel it's not necessary, they will let it go on in 60 days," Nograles said.
Arroyo's report
However, he said President Arroyo must submit a report to Congress on her declaration and on the situation in Maguindanao within 48 hours.
Congress will then assess her report and decide whether to revoke the declaration.
"If we will, we will immediately hold a joint session in order to revoke it, but I don't think we need to hold a joint session in the event we won't revoke it. There is no need to affirm it," he said.
After accepting Arroyo's report, Nograles said Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile will call for a caucus of senators while he will call for a caucus of the members of the House of Representatives.
The legislators will then decide whether they plan to revoke Proclamation 1959.
Nograles said in a belated text message sent to reporters on Saturday that he and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile may call for a joint session of Congress on Tuesday to discuss the martial law report from President Arroyo as required by the Constitution.
Ball is with the House
When Congress is in joint session to take up martial law, Nograles said the "ball is in the court of the House" since they can outvote the Senate.
There are 268 congressmen and only 23 senators.
"So the player here is the House more than the Senate because we outnumber them," Nograles added.
House majority say GMA correct
In a text message sent to reporters on Saturday, Nograles said "majority of [House] members think that the decision by the president is correct."
"Fact is, that many say it should have been done sooner," he added.
Nograles said he intends to call a caucus on Monday before putting up the issue on the House agenda.
He said anyone can also stand up to support or attack the martial law declaration during the privilege hour held every Monday.
"Personally, I think that in this case both Houses of Congress do not indicate any majority numbers with any intention to revoke the proclamation, which is only good for sixty days," he said.
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Let the world know what's happening in the name of Islam
Applause for the president for making her position regarding this national issue that already involved the whole world. It aroused the public awareness about the status of politics in Southern Philippines. It was a good decision of implementing this executive order for the benefits of innocent ones. I am not pro-administration but so far this was the first undertaking that Gloria administration made that somehow elevated my admiration to her at least a bit throughout her stay as president. And making stand behind the decision is fully appreciated.
This early evening I watched the latter part of Ted Failon's TV program Failon Ngayon guesting Robin Padilla on the show. He said on his message that let the region itself solve its own problem by making the region as separate state from the entire archipelago. To my understanding, he was saying that this civil war-zone region has its own capability of resolving different interest and conflicts between different organizations and its members. His own recommendation was just a result of stupidity of a certain Robin Padilla.
Mindanao as a separate state
How can a region solve its own problem when the people who are supposed to make the resolution are the ones being suspected who caused the violence? Had this claim of Mr. Padilla done previously or way many years back, we would not shock more than 57 people should have suffered and been killed or the worse hadn't shown up permanently. Mr. Padilla knows the fact that this region is totally submerged to dirty political ambition of Ampatuans who have made every part, if not most of them, named after their family members. What? Do you own Maguindanao? If government has allowed the separation of Mindanao from the Philippine archipelago, more likely this state will be as worse as Islam country Iraq.
Christianity vs. Islam
Comparing to Christians, Moslems have more strict norms when it comes to maintainig discipline among themselves. I received an email before showing a young boy being punished by state authority for stealing a bun. You'll be shocked as I was when I learned that the punishment for stealing a piece of bun was crushing his arm by a car running over his arm. Upon checking the pictures, it wasn't an ordinary car that we see along Edsa but it was a utility truck type owner that you can feel upon looking at it how heavy it was. It's right that no religion can ever justify such hideous crime but wondering why do they have such heavy punishment regardless the gravity of the crime. Why is that? Because they know for a fact that they are extremely violent, barbaric, monstrous for the sake of their religion, terrorist, cruel in the name of their beliefs. In order for the governing body to regulate this attitude, they need to implement heavy and drastic in form rules and regulation of their states. This only shows the world what's happening in the name of Islam.
Questioning Martial Law
After Ted Failon show, I was also able to watch news over TV patrol Sabado. Headline featured anti-arroyo questioning Martial Law. I watched the whole interview of Harry Roque, UP law professor. He sounded like he's intimidated by this Maguindanao Martial Law proclamation. He said it might be the start of declaring another martial law covering the entire nation. This statement is premature to publicize. You may critic the government for doing such undertaking however not a proper decorum nor a proper statement to tell the public what is the probability to happen in the future.
Here comes FVR for his overreaction statement. He said there's no need to declare region under military control since law enforcement agencies under control. He even compared the situation when Gloria declared National State of Emergency everytime there was Coup attempt. Mr. former President, maybe you are not aware of what really happened and how these victims were being killed in repugnant manner. Mr. president check this link so that you educate yourself about the reason why there was a need to impose such action
http://www.digital-dreamspace.com/2009/11/ampatuan-massacre-in-maguindan...
I even saw the picture over the internet of the victims who were murdered beastly at its highest way when my friend sent this link through my outlook email. I just saw one picture of it then suddenly closed it. I can't take a look at it.
LOYALTY CHECK
nogie, dont be a fool....i am afraid this is part of NO-EL scenario, sayang yung pagiging abogado mo nogie, HAIN NA MAN ANG ATONG GI PAG LABAN SA PANAHON SA MARTIAL LAW? is this worth of ur loyalty to GMA, gumising ka nogie, atat na atat si GMA magiging prime minister. DAKO KANG KAULAW SA MGA DABAWENYO NOGIE, NAHIMO KANG TUTA NI GMA..
Maliwanag Ang Salita Ni Nograles, Personal Opinion Lang Yan.
Samakatuwid hindi official itong sinasabi nitong tao at walang basihan ang kanyang kuro kuro na may nangyayaring pananakot sa pagkuha ng mga ebidensiya. Wala naman siyang tinutukoy kung sino ang nananakot dito sa mga tao pero sangayon siya sa martial law na para bang ito lamang ang paraan upang matapos ng gobyerno ang kanilang ginagawa.
TANONG KAY NOGRALES, BAKIT NAGKAKAROON NG PROBLEMA KUNG WALANG MARTIAL LAW SAMANTALANG NARIYAN NAMAN ANG MILITAR AT PULIS PARA IPAGTANGGOL ANG MGA TAO, HINDI BA IYAN ANG TRABAHO NILA?
Massacre
Applause those criticisers excellent in giving criticisms but never heard of solution from them....Martial law is forcibly imposed in the province to ensure that theres no such violent to be happened while taking into custody of those accused in the massacre of 57 people rather than to wait for more bloody attack before imposing it...Urgency is there...If you look into postive side that proclamation of martial law will be of help for the speed up arrest and investigations of those mastermnind in the massacre...Those murderers almost 100 members who join the support of ampatuans clan were already considered as enemy and dangerous to the public because of the crime committed unless they will voluntarily surrendered therselves to the authority......And to the Honorable former Secretary of Defense Mr. GIBO TEODORO..What can you say now? Claims of Magdalo group led by former Navy Trillanes has been proven...your corrupt activities within the military already came out..How much more if you are elected as president? Answer this question during the One on One forum with Ted Failon......How those high powered weapons sold to ampatuans?...To the Supreme Court & DOJ who jailed the magdalo group, what can you say now? Some Evidence of Magdalo claims already came out in public...Set Free those magdalo group...
Gloria's Martial Law
Good Morning Philippines...sana totoo ang magiging direksyon ng kaso. Kaya lang di ba mukhang scripted ang mga pangyayari....Martial law...
1.solution to cover up the involvement of AFP for being the biggest gun dealer of the warlords.....
2.in connection to the well known Chacha...mukhang obvious and patutunguhan natin...si andal sr. nasa Davao...si Zaldy...sa gen.san ang direksyon...lalaki ang tensyon sa mga area kung saan nandun ang ang kriminal...maglalabas lang ng issue ang military that there will be a big security risk in the area of Davao and gensan...konting gulo, na military din ang me gawa...so mag escalate ang tension then...martial law pati na rin sa Davavo and Gensan at tatakbo na sa buong Mindanao...where's next? Mukhang nakikita na natin ang mangyayari...hay nako Gloria...everything is part of the plan...you created a monster in Mindanao ( the Ampatuans) then you used this people to trigger them to show their power in the area...then here it comes...your scape goat to initiate Martial law then proceed to Chacha....Then here it goes.... Madam Prime Minister....naku...mga Media...mga kandidato...mga kababayan...wala ng eleksyon....THIS IS REALLY A LONG TERM PLAN....NORBERTO GONZALES.....Best Operator of madam gloria.CHECK MATE!