Several Philippine lawmakers filed a petition to the Supreme Court Monday, questioning the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's decision to put the province of Maguindanao under martial
law.
Arroyo imposed Friday martial law in the province of Maguindao - - site of the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 people including women and journalists. This is to curb the so-called "lawless elements [that] have taken up arms."
But in a petition submitted to the Supreme Court, Maguindanao First District Representative Didagen P. Dilangalen noted "other than the
discovery of sizeable arms cache, not a single incident of lawless violence was reported after the declaration of a state of emergency."
Dilangalen is referring to a cache of weapons that Philippine troops have seized last week from a ranch owned by former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., whose son Andal Ampatuan Jr., mayor of the Datu Unsay,
was arrested and charged as the prime suspect behind the massacre.
A couple of other members of the Ampatuan clan have also been put in custody. The Ampatuan family has been in control of the province since 2001.
Sixteen out of 22 towns in Maguindanao were headed by members of the Ampatuan clan, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said.
In a separate petition, Party-list Representatives Satur C. Ocampo and Liza Maza said that martial law benefitted the Ampatuan family.
"The Ampatuans can easily escape any prosecution against them from any rebellion charges for the simple reason that they did not commit any rebellion and that no such rebellion has ever been committed by them," they said.
Ampatuan's lawyers Philip Sigfrid A. Fortun and Albert Lee G. Angeles said there is no actual rebellion there, which would justify the imposition of martial law.
Fortun and Lee said members of the Ampatuan family have signified interest that they would be cooperating with the authorities.