Duterte open to public discussion on proposed change in gov't, including revolutionary form

President Duterte is amenable to a public discussion on any proposed changes in government, even including the controversial call for a revolutionary form of government.

The President said the military could also come forward and explain if they want to see changes in government, promising to listen to their sentiments.

"Sabi ko nga 'yung (I said) revolutionary government should not be discussed in sub rosa. It should be discussed publicly, including the military," Duterte said during his televised address Monday night.

"They should be able to say what… If the average --- if the troops do not want it, they should say so and explain. Eh kung mayroon rin silang gustong pagbabago (If they want changes), then let us hear them out," he said.

Duterte briefly mentioned the proposed revolutionary government while deploring the "unabated" corruption in the bureaucracy. He earlier appointed former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Dante Gierran as new president of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and directed him to clean up the agency.

"Go after corruption," Duterte said.

"Tulungan ninyo ako kasi kawawa ang --- kawawa ang bayan. Naawa ako talaga sa bayan ko (Help me. I pity our poor nation). Believe me, my heart bleeds for my country," he said.

"Iyong unabated corruption and with no end in sight and another election coming up and you see the same old faces there. So the same old bata-bata kung sino iyong mga tao nila, wala. Patay, (it same old faces. It's over)," he said.

He directed the PhilHealth chief to send the corrupt officials in PhilHealth to prison. He cautioned that the state firm might end up losing reserve funds for the beneficiaries due to corruption.

Last week, the President denied involvement in the move to install a revolutionary government, adding that he does not know the group behind it.

The Palace had earlier kept its distance from the revolutionary government proposal, insisting the government is focused on mitigating the socioeconomic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

A group of the President's supporters had earlier launched a movement to install a revolutionary government supposedly to be led by Duterte until the end of his term. Such a revolutionary government will supposedly help hasten the shift to federalism in the country.