Duterte urged to call special session as COVID-19 powers expire with Congress' break

A lawmaker on Friday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to call a special session of Congress if he wanted to extend the validity of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Law as the country continued to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anak Kalusugan party-list Representative Michael Defensor said the Bayanihan law—which allowed President Duterte to realign P275 billion worth of national budget toy yrged  address COVID-19—would expire once Congress adjourns sine die on June 5 in accordance with the constitutional provisions on emergency powers.

“The remedy is for President Duterte to call Congress to a special session during the mandatory adjournment from June 6 to July 24,” Defensor said in a statement.

“I am in favor of extending our session if we have to work overtime on COVID-19 response measures to stimulate the economy and prepare our nation for post-lockdown and post-coronavirus disease, and I think most of my colleagues hold the same sentiment,” he added.

Defensor is the chairman of the House Committee on Accounts.

Ako Bicol party-list representative Alfredo Garbin Jr. agreed.

“My take is that the emergency power granted by congress to the President is for a limited period and subject to such restrictions as it prescribes, to exercise powers necessary and proper to carry out a declared national policy," said Garbin, a vice chairman of the House Committee on Justice.

"But the Constitution is explicit that the emergency power 'shall automatically cease' upon the next adjournment of Congress,” Garbin said, referring to Article 6, Section 23 of the 1987 Charter.

“The adjournment contemplated here is 'sine die' adjournment which is forthcoming on June 5. We all know that this pandemic will continue to persist even beyond the stated adjournment and therefore, it is my opinion that the emergency power given to the President must be extended in order to carry out a declared national policy,” he added.

It was Senator Panfilo Lacson who earlier called for the extension of Bayanihan law which also provides for moratorium on payment of utility, loans, rent, among others, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quarantine rules have since been eased since May 16 to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) and general community quarantine (GCQ) where 50 to 75% of the workforce per company are allowed to physically report back to work, but mass transport remains prohibited in MECQ areas.

Areas under MECQ include: the highly urbanized cities of the National Capital Region and municipality of Pateros; Bataan; Bulacan; Nueva Ecija; Pampanga including Angeles City; Zambales and Laguna.

The Philippines has registered 13,597 confirmed COVID-19 cases thus far. Of this number, 3,092 recovered while 857 died. -NB, GMA News