(Eagle News) — The joint session of the two houses of Congress which will once again determine the fate of President Rodrigo Duterte’s request for a one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao began on Wednesday, amid protests being held by militant groups against the proposal.
Senate President Koko Pimentel and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez banged the gavel inside the session hall of the Batasang Pambansa a few minutes past 9 a.m.
Fourteen senators were present at the start of the session, of the 23 expected to attend.
There were 216 congressmen — out of total 294 members of the House — who came to the joint session.
Both figures translate to a quorum.
While the session was ongoing inside the Batasang Pambansa, around 30 members of militant groups held protests against the extension of martial law.
For Duterte’s proposal to be approved, only a simple majority is needed.
The overall figure is arrived at by combining the votes of both senators and congressmen, based on Article VII, Section 18 of the 1987 Constitution.
This is the second time Congress convened to discuss a proposal by Duterte to extend martial law in Mindanao.
The first was on July 22, when the 60-day martial law allowed by the Constitution there lapsed.
Duterte had cited threats from Islamic State-inspired groups and from the communists, among others, in making the second formal proposal to Congress on December 8.