CEBU CITY (PNA) — President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s congressional allies in Cebu have appealed for calm, but deferred their assessment on her declaration of martial law in Maguindanao, where 57 people were killed in a massacre attributed to a powerful political clan allied to her.

The President issued Proclamation 1959 Friday night, placing Maguindanao under Martial Law.

Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia (Cebu, 2nd district) said the President acted in accordance with the Constitution.

He pointed out that after the slaughter of 57 civilians in Maguindanao, people criticized the President for not acting immediately or decisively.

“Now, the President is acting,” Garcia said.

The Constitution requires the President to submit a report to Congress within 48 hours of declaring Martial Law in any part of the country. Congress, voting jointly, will then decide whether to concur or revoke the proclamation.

“We are not yet in a position to assess the situation. The President has access to intelligence reports that we are not privy to,” Garcia said.

“I will get information because it is still too early on my part to make a stand,” he said.

Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (Cebu, 6th district) said she will make her “judgment upon hearing the report to be submitted by the President in a session on Monday.”

In the meantime, she said in a press statement, “people should stay calm because martial law will not suspend the Constitution. Neither will the civil rights of the Filipinos be lost. What is important is that Government restores order and safety in Maguindanao, for people to live normal lives again in the very near future.”

Cebu Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez said he trusts the judgment of the President, but also thinks that “it (the declaration) was not so necessary because it was only in one area, but I really don’t know the real situation.”

Cebu Archdiocese Episcopal Vicar, Msgr. Esteban Binghay urged the public to trust Government and military leaders, and said it would be “disastrous” for President Arroyo to expand the declaration’s coverage beyond Maguindanao.

He also urged the local diocese in Maguindanao to watch out for human rights abuses in the area.