The historic joint session of Congress to tackle martial law served as a venue for some presidential aspirants to express their concerns regarding Proclamation 1959, which placed Maguindanao province under martial rule.

Four presidential candidates who happened to be incumbent senators gave them the opportunity to take part in the joint session.

Three of them – Senators Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr., Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Richard Gordon – already had the chance to ask questions to the executive officials sent by President Arroyo to defend her proclamation.

At the second day of the joint session on Thursday, Villar expressed serious concern over the negative impact of the martial law proclamation on the economy.

Villar, a self-made businessman, inquired from the President’s emissaries whether the government was making any effort to counter the effects of the declaration on the business community and prospective investors from other countries.

“Concerned po tayo sa hindi magandang epekto ng martial law sa ekonomiya ng bansa lalo’t araw-araw po tayong nababalita sa iba’t ibang international media,” Villar said.

The Nacionalista Party’s (NP’s) standard-bearer said a lot of investors are afraid of venturing into business in the country following the imposition of martial law in Maguindanao.

Responding to Villar’s query, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita assured the senator that the government is doing everything to explain in various international media networks the necessity of placing the province under martial law following the gruesome murder of 57 people in what is now known as the country’s worst election-related violence.

“The government is doing everything your honor to explain the reasons behind (the declaration of) martial law,” Ermita said, adding that the main objective of martial law declaration was to ensure a swift justice for the massacre victims.

But despite the extensive and repeated explanations made by the Executive department, another presidential candidate, Aquino, still appeared unconvinced.

Aquino said the President’s representatives failed to justify the government’s imposition of martial rule in Maguindanao due to the absence of actual rebellion and invasion in the province.