Today, July 22, the Senate and the House of Representatives will convene a special session to deliberate and consider the possible extension of Proclamation No 216.

The primary objective of the extension is to allow our forces to continue in their swift and decisive action in liberating Marawi. As authorities follow through with their operations, they need to be on guard in preventing the spillover of lawlessness and violent extremism in other parts of Mindanao and maintain peace and stability in the entire island, owing to the cohesion, bond of comradeship and affinity of the personalities involved, which run deep and complex and have created a network that could stretch in all corners of Mindanao.

We trust Congress to recognize the gravity of the situation and support the Executive Department in declaring that the factual and legal basis upon which martial law and the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus was upheld is continuing and still persists.