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[av_heading heading=’Robredo to Duterte: Follow Constitution’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Wednesday, May 31, 2017
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MANILA – Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday advised President Rodrigo Duterte to follow the Constitution in carrying out martial law in Mindanao.
Duterte should heed the constitutional oversight granted to the Supreme Court and Congress, Robredo said in a press statement.
Earlier Duterte said he may ignore coequal bodies in implementing martial law and will lift the military rule only when he knows the country is already safe. Malacañang later clarified the chief executive will not bypass other branches of government.
“We trust that the President realizes that such reckless statements only further add to [the] apprehension felt by many citizens,” Robredo said. “We must reassure our people that whatever situation may arise, their leaders will remain faithful to the Constitution.”
“We urge the President: take back what he said and be an example to all public servants that in the face of whatever crisis in our nation, we will all remain faithful to our Constitution and our democracy,” she added.
Robredo said she remains supportive of Duterte’s martial law declaration for ongoing military efforts to fight the Maute terror group in Marawi City, where thousands of families were already displaced.
“Our Constitution was crafted precisely to prevent the abuse of power,” she said. “Our trust and support for the institutions that safeguard our Constitution is the only assurance we have that genuine democracy will be sustained and that the rights of every Filipino will be upheld.”
Via a joint vote “of at least a majority of all its members,” Congress may revoke the martial law proclamation, the 1987 Constitution stated.
Any citizen may challenge the proclamation’s legality before the Supreme Court if ever it is approved by Congress, the Constitution stated./PN
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