MARTIAL LAW HAS BEEN DECLARED IN MAGUINDANAO THE PRIVILEGE OF THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS SUSPENDED IN THE AREA. (Proclamation excludes parts covered by agreement with MILF).
1) it’s 7:20 am. Under the Constitution, Congress if not in session shall convene within 24 hours from proclamation.
2)That means Senate and House.
3)That means between now and tomorrow Sunday 7:20 am, Congress, if not in session, should convene; martial law has been declared in Maguindanao.
4)That means, if not in session, the Speaker of the House and the Senate President should now start getting their offices ready in the next 24 hours to convene.
5)The Constitution provides “jointly voting”. That means Congress (Senate and House) should convene jointly.
6)Under the Constitution, Malacañang has to report to Congress within 48 hours from declaration.
7)That means: if the state of martial law continues over the weekend, they need to report to Congress the declaration of martial law first thing Monday morning 7:20 am Dec. 7.
8)Monday morning 7:20 am, the President herself (in person), or in writing, has to report to Congress as required by the Constitution.
9)Otherwise, (if she fails to do this), the state of martial law would lapse into an illegal, unconstitutional state.
10)the constitutional clock starts now.
Let’s test it.
