De Lima disturbed by Tausug solon's nationwide martial law proposal

Sen. Leila de Lima on Sunday said a Tausug lawmaker's suggestion to place the entire country under martial rule is disturbing and a "sick joke."

"I find very disturbing, to say the least, the suggestion during yesterday's joint session from a lady Party List member that martial law be declared nationwide," De Lima said in a statement.

The senator was referring to the remarks of KUSUG-TAUSUG party-list Representative Shernee Abubakar Tan during the joint session of Congress to tackle President Rodrigo Duterte's proposal to extend martial law in Mindanao by five more months.

Explaining her affirmative vote during the session, Tan urged Congress to extend "martial law not only in Mindanao, but also throughout the entire country."

The suggested drew laughter from people in the plenary hall.

"Was it meant to be a joke? Meant to earn cheap laughter from those inclined to laugh at the situation? If so, what an offensively bad and sick joke it was," De Lima said.

She also said that Tan's suggestion was "deplorably blatant and shameless" tack to "earn brownie points from Malacañang."

The five-month extension was approved by Congress by an overwhelming 261 affirmative votes against only 18 votes from minority House members and senators.

De Lima said that maybe the young congresswoman has "no idea or empathy" for people who suffered during the martial law under late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

"If so, then this congresswoman has to understand that Martial Law is an extreme measure that is not to be taken lightly," she said.

"Don't play with the power of declaring and extending Martial Law.  It is a fire that will burn us all if recklessly handled by those supposedly elected to protect us from abuse," she added. —ALG, GMA News