Palace to pre-empt Congress and SC moves against Proclamation 1959: They will lift it ahead of December 15

Pinoyobserver has a very interesting and more comprehensive entry about this alleged new plot. The plot, I say, will be repulsed by the People.

By Monday, AFP Chief of Staff General Victor Ibrado will reportedly recommend the lifting of martial law, ahead of the deadline set by the Supreme Court for palace officials to answer the pending petitions and one day before Congress meets to vote for or against Proclamation 1959. Many sees this as a move to avoid losing face, since palace officials are wary that the Supreme Court may take a contrari position and they don't know how many Congressmen actually support Proclamation 1959.

Remember that most incumbent Congressmen who belonged to Lakas-KAMPI-CMD have transferred to either the Liberal or the Nacionalista, two parties who expressed opposition to Proclamation 1959. A source says Mely Poblador, the close adviser of the President, has failed in securing Congressional support. The December 15 session may backfire against the president.

The lifting therefore of martial law in Maguindanao is in the offing.

However, sources say, the palace is tinkering with an extended martial law to cover all of the ARMM provinces and some provinces in Mindanao, excluding the Zamboanga peninsula and Surigao, while setting the necessary elements for another proclamation, this time, covering the National Capital Region (NCR) and the rest of the country.

This will replace the inherently "defective" and "legally infirm" Proclamation 1959.

This will happen only if the plan of the cabal pushes thru---a move against the government, reportedly a self-initiated "coup d'etat".