(Eagle News) — Malacanang on Wednesday (July 4) welcomed the Supreme Court ruling upholding the constitutionality of Proclamation 216 or the declaration of martial law in Mindanao by President Rodrigo Duterte, saying that the “whole government now stands together as one against a common enemy.”
“The High Court has spoken: Proclamation 216 is constitutional,” said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella in a statement.
He said that the President’s commitment to end the rebellion of Islamist terrorists in Marawi would not waver.
“The President is sworn to protect the Filipino people. He will not waver in this commitment to end rebellion, the evil of terrorism and to liberate Marawi,” Abella said.
“With the Supreme Court decision, the whole government now stands together as one against a common enemy,” he added.
On Wednesday, July 4, the Supreme Court, by a majority vote of 11, voted to dismiss the various petitions opposing the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.
Three of the 15 SC justices partially granted the petitions, while only one voted to grant them.
The declared martial law is supposed to last for only 60 days.
It was declared on May 23, while the President was in an official visit in Moscow, shortly after the Marawi siege by the Islamist terrorists.
