Philippines: Supreme Court upholds Presidential declaration of state of emergency

On 7 May, the Supreme Court found that the Presidential proclamation of a state of national emergency and its implementing Order of 24 February were in accordance with the Constitution. The declaration was made after the failure of an alleged plot to overthrow the Government. The state of emergency was lifted on 3 March. The Court declared unconstitutional the Order’s provisions which mandated the armed forces and the police to prevent and suppress “acts of terrorism” because the law did not define such acts. The Court also found certain acts committed under the state of emergency to be illegal, such as arrests and searches without warrant.