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Representative Lagman vs. Senate President Pimentel [CONCURRING OPINION, VELASCO, JR., J.]

REPRESENTATIVES EDCEL C. LAGMAN, TOMASITO S. VILLARIN, EDGAR R. ERICE, TEDDY BRAWNER BAGUILAT, JR., GARY C. ALEJANO, AND EMMANUEL A. BILLONES, PETITIONERS, VS. SENATE PRESIDENT AQUILINO PIMENTEL III, SPEAKER PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA,DEFENSE SECRETARY DELFIN N. LORENZANA, BUDGET SECRETARY BENJAMIN E. DIOKNO AND ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES CHIEF OF STAFF GENERAL REY LEONARDO GUERRERO, RESPONDENTS. [G.R. No. 236061] EUFEMIA CAMPOS CULLAMAT, NOLI VILLANUEVA, RIUS VALLE, ATTY. NERI JAVIER COLMENARES, DR. MARIA CAROLINA P. ARAULLO, RENATO M. REYES, JR. CRISTINA E. PALABAY, BAYAN MUNA PARTYLIST REPRESENTATIVE CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE, GABRIELA WOMEN'S PARTY REPRESENTATIVES EMERENCIANA A. DE JESUS AND ARLENE D. BROSAS, ANAKPAWIS REPRESENTATIVE ARIEL B. CASILAO, ACT TEACHERS' REPRESENTATIVES ANTONIO L. TINIO,AND FRANCISCA L. CASTRO, AND KABATAAN PARTYLIST REPRESENTATIVE SARAH JANE I. ELAGO, PETITIONERS, VS. PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE, SENATE PRESIDENT AQUILINO PIMENTEL III, HOUSE SPEAKER PANTALEON ALVAREZ, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SALVADOR MEDIALDEA, DEFENSE SECRETARY DELFIN LORENZANA, ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES CHIEF­-OF-STAFF GEN. REY LEONARDO GUERRERO, PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE DIRECTOR-GENERAL RONALDO DELA ROSA, RESPONDENTS. [G.R. No. 236145] LORETTA ANN P. ROSALES, PETITIONER, VS. PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. DUTERTE, REPRESENTED BY EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA, MARTIAL LAW ADMINISTRATOR SECRETARY DELFIN N. LORENZANA, MARTIAL LAW IMPLEMENTER GENERAL REY L. GUERRERO, AND PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE DIRECTOR GENERAL RONALDO M. DELA ROSA, AND THE CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES, CONSISTING OF THE SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES REPRESENTED BY SENATE PRESIDENT AQUILINO Q. PIMENTEL III, AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, REPRESENTED BY HOUSE SPEAKER PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ, RESPONDENTS. [G.R. No. 236155] CHRISTIAN S. MONSOD, DINAGAT ISLANDS REPRESENTATIVE ARLENE J. BAG-AO, RAY PAOLO J. SANTIAGO, NOLASCO RITZ LEE B. SANTOS III, MARIE HAZEL E. LAVITORIA, NICOLENE S. ARCAINA, AND JOSE RYAN S. PELONGCO, PETITIONERS, VS. SENATE PRESIDENT AQUILINO PIMENTEL III, SPEAKER PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA, DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE (DND) SECRETARY DELFIN N. LORENZANA, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (DILG) SECRETARY (OFFICER-IN-CHARGE) EDUARDO M. AÑO, ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES (AFP) CHIEF OF STAFF GENERAL REY LEONARDO GUERRERO, PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE (PNP) CHIEF DIRECTOR GENERAL RONALD M. DELA ROSA, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER HERMOGENES C. ESPERON, JR., RESPONDENTS.

G.R. No. 235935 | 2018-02-06

CONCURRING OPINION

VELASCO, JR., J.:

I adhere to the dismissal of the petitions and concur with the declaration of Resolution of Both Houses No. 4 as constitutional. I would, however, like to make some additional observations in connection with my concurrence.

At the threshold of this opinion, I do not find it amiss to note that the Martial Law in Mindanao was extended for the first time up to December 31, 2017. And yet, not one of the petitioners questioned the validity of that extension. This neglect now estops the petitioners from questioning the basis for the presently assailed extension since it is merely a continuation of the extended...