The Unlawyer

I read the text of Proclamation No. 1017 again and, like Marvin of La Vida Lawyer, have come to the same conclusion: the President has indeed declared martial law under the cloak of a national emergency proclamation:

“NOW, THEREFORE, I Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested upon me by Section 18, Article 7 of the Philippine Constitution which states that: “ The President…whenever it becomes necessary,…may call out (the) armed forces to prevent or suppress…rebellion…, “ and in my capacity as their Commander-in-Chief, do hereby command the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to maintain law and order throughout the Philippines, prevent or suppress all forms of lawless violence as well any act of insurrection or rebellion and to enforce obedience to all the laws and to all decrees, orders and regulations promulgated by me personally or upon my direction; and as provided in Section 17, Article 12 of the Constitution do hereby declare a State of National Emergency.”[Emphasis mine - Ed.]

Put another way, the Armed Forces are hereby commanded to:

• Maintain law and order throughout the Philippines;
• Prevent or suppress all forms of lawless violence as well any act of insurrection or rebellion, and;
• Enforce obedience to all the laws and to all decrees, orders and regulations promulgated by me personally or upon the President’s direction.

All of this at a time when by all accounts, the civiilan authorities are alive and well.

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This post has been reclassified under the State of Emergency category.