House Committee of the Whole to tackle Duterte’s martial law report

The House of Representatives will convene as a Committee of the Whole on Wednesday morning to discuss the official report submitted by President Rodrigo Duterte on his declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

The House plenary approved the motion Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas made the motion for this at Monday’s plenary session, after meeting with members of the House committee on rules, to which the report was referred to.

Under House rules, the lower chamber may constitute itself as Committee of the Whole, to function as a panel acting upon a bill or resolution. Its members include all members of the House.

Fariñas was appointed as chair of the said committee.

He moved to invite several members of Duterte’s Cabinet for the meeting. These include:

• Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea
• Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana
• Interior officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy
• National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon
• Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Mujiv Hataman
• Social Welfare Sec. Judy Taguiwalo
• Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi
• Justice Sec. Vitaliano Aguirre
• Agriculture Sec. Manny Piñol
• Public Works Sec. Mark Villar
• Labor Sec. Silvestre Bello
• Health Sec. Paulyn Ubial
• Trade Sec. Ramon Lopez
• Tourism Sec. Wanda Teo
• Information and Communication Technology Sec. Rodolfo Salalima.

The move, approved via a resounding “aye,” is consistent with House leaders’ firm stand that the Senate and the House need not convene a joint session to discuss the report.

In his initial motion, Fariñas said the Committee of the Whole will meet in an executive session with members of Duterte’s Cabinet for a briefing on the martial law declaration.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and ACT-Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, however, stood to object.

Only Lagman was given the chance to explain his objection.

The veteran lawmaker insisted on his view that Congress must convene into a joint session, noting the urgency of the matter given that martial law is “immediately executory.”

He also opposed the move to conduct the briefing in an executive session, saying it “will deprive the public [the opportunity to] know exactly what were the reasons why martial law was imposed.”

He added that it would “deny the political opposition and like-minded members of the majority” the chance to “expose the lack of merits, lack of factual validity, of the imposition.”

Fariñas, in turn, reiterated that Congress does not need to convene for a joint session if only to concur with the President’s declaration.

He also amended his motion to qualify that an executive session will be done only when the resource person states that the matter to be discussed needs it.

The expected briefing at the House will come two days after a similar one given to the Senate. —NB, GMA News