Ally and non-ally senators emphasize that president is empowered by the 1987 Philippine Constitution to declare state of lawlessness.
President Rodrigo Duterte gains more support from ally and non-ally senators in his declaration of state of lawlessness.
He has the inherent power to declare “state of lawlessness” under the 1987 Philippine Constitution to suppress an act of terrorism, said Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon.
Gordon said, “The President as Commander-in-chief has now called out our armed forces to suppress lawless violence. Our Constitution allows him to do so and taken along he is not suspending the privilege of the writ of Habeas Corpus or proclaiming Martial Law”.
Gordon considers the Davao night market blast as an “act of terrorism” by the bandit group, Abu Sayyaf, and thus it is necessary and logical for Duterte to outlaw the group.
He further said that aside from the Constitution, Duterte’s judgment are also supported by the provision of the Human Security Act of 2007 and other counter-terrorism measures.
“The Davao bombing is an act of terrorism by a known terrorist organization that must be outlawed by the full force of the law as provided in the Human Security Act of 20017 and other anti-terrorism measures”, Sen. Gordon said.
Meanwhile, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, another ally of the president, said that the Senate will be supportive of the administration’s efforts to bring the perpetrators of the incident to justice.
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