ADMINISTRATION lawmakers, led by House Speaker Prospero Nograles, yesterday twitted Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. for raising the spectre of martial law again by claiming President Arroyo will use this to extend her term.

Reports earlier quoted De Venecia as warning that President Arroyo will declare martial law or a state of emergency to extend her stay in office beyond June 30, 2010 if efforts to change the Charter fail.

“I just wish the former speaker a Happy New Year and advise him to think positively because there will never be another martial rule in the Philippines,” said Nograles.

In a statement sent through text, Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, chairman of the House committee on justice that junked the impeachment case against Mrs. Arroyo filed by De Venecia’s son—Jose III—described the former House speaker’s statement as “very irresponsible.”

“The use of martial law to stay in office is not possible under the Constitution as Congress must vote for it just a few hours after its declaration. Likewise, a [declaration of a] state of emergency can’t make [an extended] stay in office possible,” Defensor said.

Marikina Rep. Marcelino Teodoro said the Pangasinan representative’s claim is simply “preposterous.”

“There’s no need for the President to declare martial law. The present condition does not warrant a declaration of martial law,” Teodoro said.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, on the other hand, said Filipinos will no longer allow themselves to be put under martial rule.

De Venecia may have found an ally in Cibac party-list Rep. Joel Villanueva who said the statement should not be dismissed immediately as the Pangasinan lawmaker was a former stalwart of the administration.

“He knows many things under this government. We have to look seriously into his statement especially since this administration has faced serious charges of corruption,” Villanueva said.

The former Speaker has alleged that the real objective in 2006 when they first launched charter change through people’s initiative, and later through a House-only constituent assembly, was reportedly to keep Mrs. Arroyo in power beyond 2010.

De Venecia claimed that Mrs. Arroyo’s desire to stay in office was due to her fear of being sued for plunder, corruption, human rights violation that could lead to her imprisonment. Roy Pelovello