The coordinated and contrived refusal of the leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate to jointly vote in joint session on whether or not to revoke the President’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao is a patent dereliction of a constitutional duty.

The House of Representatives and the Senate, through their respective leaders with the concurrence of the majority, have committed hara-kiri by depreciating their constitutional powers and abandoning the first line of review against an improvident and unwarranted declaration of martial law.

Subservience to the President is a disservice to the Constitution.

Holding a committee of the whole of the House of Representatives and hearing separate briefings in executive session are not compliant with the constitutional mandate for the House and the Senate to jointly vote in joint session.

Said contrived undertakings constitute subterfuge to avoid voting jointly after deliberation and debate on the necessity and factual basis of the imposition of martial law.

It is of no moment that reportedly Members of the Congress have intimated that they are not disposed to revoke the declaration, and for which reason, there is purportedly no need for a joint voting.

The disposition of the issue by Members of both Chambers can only be validated in a joint, open and recorded voting on the majority vote of all the Members.

The holding of a transparent joint session is imperative to give the people and media access to the deliberations, particularly the differing views of the political opposition and independent-minded members of the supermajority.

When the Constitution itself mandates the Congress to convene in a joint session to conduct joint voting, there is no need for a resolution, either simple or concurrent, for both chambers to convene soonest. No less than the Constitution makes the call.

EDCEL C. LAGMAN