Manila: 3 opposition senators question Duterte’s revolutionary government

“Ano ba itong fino-float na revolutionary government? Hindi ba ito isang tawag lang sa masahol na diktadura?”

(What is this being floated about a revolutionary government? Isn’t this what you call something worse than a dictatorship?)

These were two of the several questions opposition Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Bam Aquino and Antonio Trillanes IV have thrown against the President’s threat to set-up a revolutionary government amid threats of destabilization.

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In an interview with the government-run TV station PTV broadcast on Friday night, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would rather declare a revolutionary government than martial law.

“Pag ang destabilization ninyo patagilid na and medyo magulo na (If your destabilization is worsening and it is becoming chaotic), I will not hesitate to declare a revolutionary government until the end of my term, and I will arrest all of you and we can go to a full scale war against the Reds,” Duterte said during the interview.

READ: Duterte threatens to adopt Cory’s revolutionary style gov’t vs destab plotters

“May basehan ba ang pagtatatag ng revolutionary government sa mga batas, maging sa Saligang Batas na sinumpaan nating mga lingkod-bayan na ipagtanggol at ipatupad?” the senators asked in statement on Sunday.

(Does creating a revolutionary government have any basis on the Constitution which we public servants swore on to protect and to serve?)

“Sa isang revolutionary government, isasarado ba ang Kongreso? Kung ipipilit, hindi ba paglabag ito sa Konstitusyon at pagtalikod sa sinumpaang tungkulin?” they added.

(In a revolutionary government, will Congress be shut down? If this is forced, isn’t this a violation of the Constitution and abandonment of sworn duty?)

The three senators also questioned the need for a revolutionary government, which they said, would give more power to Duterte.

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“Kailangan ba nating mga Pilipino ang isang revolutionary government na magbibigay pa ng mas malawak na kapangyarihan sa Pangulo?” they asked.

(Do we Filipinos need a revolutionary government which would give more powers to the President?)

“Di ba sobra nang makapangyarihan ang Pangulo: kontrol sa lahat ng kagawaran sa Executive, kabilang ang pulis at military; supervision sa lahat ng local government units; magtalaga ng libo-libong tao sa gobyerno; at kung anu-ano pa?” they added.

(Isn’t the President already powerful: he controls all the departments in the Executive alongside the police and the military, he has supervision over all local government units, he can assign thousands of people in government, and many other things?)

Aquino, Pangilinan and Trillanes also asked if there are destabilization plots against the Duterte administration in the first place.

“May destabilization ba talaga? O base lang sa sabi-sabi o sa guni-guni? ‘Di ba ang pagpuna sa mga maling patakaran ng pamahalaan ay kalayaan ng bawat Pilipino?” they said.

(Is there really a destabilization plot? Or is it all based on hearsay or imagination? Isn’t criticizing wrong policies in government a right of every Filipino?)

They also wondered why intrigues are being prioritized by the government.

“Kaya naitatanong natin, bakit intriga ang inaatupag? ‘Di ba mas maigi pa, isantabi na muna ang mga ‘yan at magtrabaho para sa ikabubuti ng bayan? Pansin niyo ba, sobrang trapik pa rin at pataas ng pataas ang mga bilihin — krudo, bigas, at pamasahe?” they asked.

(That’s why they’re asking, why are we spending time on intrigues? Isn’t it better to put those aside and work towards the betterment of our country? Can’t you see how traffic it still is and how the prices of oil, rice, and fares are rising?) /je