MANILA, Philippines, December 12, SPA -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has approved the lifting of martial law in a southern Philippine province. The martial law edict will be lifted at 9 p.m. local time (1300 GMT) Saturday, eight days after she signed the proclamation placing Maguindanao province under martial law and suspending the writ of habeas corpus, which allowed police and soldiers to arrest suspects without court warrants, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said. The Cabinet"s security group recommended the withdrawal of the controversial proclamation and Arroyo approved it during a meeting of the National Security Council early Saturday, Ermita told a televised news conference, according to reports of foreign news agencies. --SPA 13:21 LOCAL TIME 10:21 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/727242