House Committee of the Whole OKs pro-martial law reso

The House of Representatives, convening as the Committee of the Whole, on Wednesday approved a resolution expressing its support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

Resolution 1050 expresses the “full support” of the lower chamber to Duterte “as it finds no reason to revoke” his proclamation.

The resolution got a resounding “aye” from the Committee of the Whole, which was constituted to discuss the President’s official report on imposing martial law in Mindanao following the clashes in Marawi City.

The decision came after the committee received a briefing from several members of Duterte’s Cabinet led by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

Except for its initial part, with the presentation of the martial law declaration and its accompanying general order, the meeting was held as an executive session.

The resolution will be brought before Wednesday’s plenary session, where it will be put into a nominal vote for its expected adoption.

Lawmakers from the House's Makabayan bloc criticized the supposed haste in having the resolution approved.

Despite its alliance with the supermajority, the bloc, composed of seven militant representatives, filed a joint resolution on Tuesday seeking a joint session to revoke Duterte's martial law declaration. 

ACT-Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said that after the briefing from the executive, there was already a motion to approve the Committee of the Whole's resolution.

"Parang lumalabas dito, parang going through the motions na 'yung mga nangyari at kahit debate man lamang ay hindi pinahintulutan. Pati ba naman sa House ay martial law na din?" he told reporters after the committee meeting.

He said they will question the resolution before the plenary, hoping that a debate will be allowed there. —KBK, GMA News