Detained Senator Leila de Lima slammed on Thursday President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to extend martial law in Mindanao, saying it was “excessive” and “unconstitutional.”“The extension of martial law in the whole of Mindanao beyond another 60-day period is not only excessive, it is also unconstitutional. The Constitution does not contemplate that an extension can even go beyond the original period of 60 days,” De Lima said in a statement. “This is all the more obvious if the conditions justifying martial law cannot be realistically projected to still exist in the entire months of August to December,” she said. De Lima warned that such “pre-emptive” martial law might lead to a “creeping authoritarianism,” and not the maintenance of public order. For donation from overseas:Inquirer Foundation Corp account:Inquirer Foundation Corp. Banco De Oro (BDO) Current Account No: 007960018860Swift Code: BNORPHMM

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 20, 2017 09:11 UTC