Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Thursday disputed a statement by retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Vicente Mendoza that there is no violation of the Bill of Rights under martial law. Drilon issued the statement after Justice Mendoza in an Inquirer report called President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to impose martial law “justified and needed” due to rebellion in Marawi City, which was placed under siege by the Maute group. Drilon said he hoped the magistrate was misquoted, adding that under martial law the Bill of Rights cannot be set aside. He said under the 1987 Constitution, there are rights that are “inviolable” even when the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended under martial law. “The Bill of Rights cannot be set aside even under martial law or even when the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 25, 2017 07:38 UTC