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Representative Lagman vs. Senate President Pimentel [DECISION]

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 and G.R. No. 236061 and G.R. No. 236145 and G.R. No. 236155 | 2018-02-06

DECISION
 
TIJAM, J.:
 
Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct. Even the ardent love of liberty will, after a time, give way to its dictates. - Alexander Hamilton

There is an ongoing rebellion in the Philippines. NPA rebels, Maute rebels, ASG rebels, BIFF rebels, Islamic fundamentalists and other armed groups are on the loose. They are engaged in armed conflict with government forces; they seek to topple the government; and they sow terror and panic in the community. To ignore this reality and to claim that these are non-existent is to court consequences that endanger public safety.

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