Legal luminaries and politicians from the opposition questioned President Arroyo's declaration of Martial Law in Maguindanao province, saying it has no legal basis and only weakens the case against the Ampatuans.

At the Fernandina media forum at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City, lawyer Edwin Lacierda, spokesman for Noynoy Aquino, said that the president’s declaration of temporary military takeover is a clear violation of the Constitution considering that there is actually no rebellion happening in the province.

"It is stated very clearly under the present Constitution that a president can only declare a state of martial law if there is rebellion. Rebellion must be actual pero sa nakikita natin, walang ganun eh,” Lacierda said.

“Sa sinumiteng report ni Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita sa Congress, clearly there is nothing in the report that will state that there is rebellion happening in Maguindanao. Sa unang report, nakalagay (may) massing of forces and ammunition. Last night (Tuesday night) Ermita reportedly submitted an amendment to the report that the Ampatuans plus some separatist force nag-join forces na daw. May imminent rebellion na daw then he deleted it,” he said.

Also, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has called on the government to avoid abuse of power in the implementation of martial law in Maguindanao.

“Abuse of power should be avoided and martial law should not be unnecessarily prolonged,” Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar, CBCP president, said in a statement.

The new CBCP head it’s imperative for the government to exercise restraint so that people won’t suspect the reason for the declaration.

“We call for restraint on the part of the administrators of martial law so as not to give people the reason to suspect of any hidden agenda behind the exercise,” said Odchimar.