The proposed revolutionary government is "incomprehensible" especially coming from President Duterte's supporters who want to unseat an already constitutionally elected leader of the country, Malacañang said Wednesday.
(CAMILLE ANTE / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Although President Duterte wants the revolutionary government proposal discussed in public as part of the “free marketplace of ideas,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque admitted he was puzzled by the "strange” movement launched by Duterte’s own supporters.
"In fairness, I don’t know what they want. They claim to be supporters of the President. So, why would they want to unseat a constitutional president? I find it strange," he said over CNN Philippines Wednesday.
"The whole exercise to me is incomprehensible," he added.
Roque asserted that the President has made up his mind against the revolutionary government proposal, saying he intends to finish his constitutionally mandated six-year term.
He explained that Duterte's position favoring a public discussion on the proposal only showed "his dedication to the free marketplace of ideas."
"If there are those who feel that there is a need for revolutionary government, they should be heard in a public debate, in a public discussion of the issue, not sub rosa. Sub rosa was the word he used which meant not in confidence, not in private. Let this be added to the free marketplace of ideas," he said.
"But as far as his personal conviction is concerned, he was clear. He does not need the revolutionary government because he is a constitutional government and he will finish his term and go home to Davao," he said.
The President said the military can even join the discussion on the matter if it wants, according to Roque. "Let them join the discussion but he has made up his mind as far as his personal conviction on it is concerned. He's not for it," he said.
Even as public discourse on the matter may proceed, Roque insisted the revolutionary government proposal is "not constitutional."
"Precisely, it is called revolutionary because it does not fall within the framework of the Constitution," he said.
"The President was elected to a fixed-term office. He will finish that fixed term of office. Although people can talk about it, because they may have criticisms against the system, I join the President in our belief that the Constitution should be upheld, because all public officers took an oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the land," he said.
He said Filipinos are no strangers to a revolutionary government, citing one that was led by then President Corazon Aquino after the People Power Revolution in 1986.
"Cory Aquino’s government was a revolutionary government and it was during her term of office that we came up with the ‘87 Constitution," he said. "In the case of Cory Aquino’s government, it is unconstitutional but if the people ratify it then it becomes constitutional," he said.
He acknowledged that there is a “probability” that the people may perhaps ratify a revolutionary government in the future "but for now, the President remains committed to the framework of the 1987 Constitution."
A group of the President's supporters recently launched a movement seeking the establishment of a revolutionary government to be headed by Duterte until the end of his term in 2022. Such form of government will supposedly hasten the shift to federalism before Duterte steps down from office.
The President has already declared he was not involved in any move to install a revolutionary government, saying he did not care about the proposal and did not know the people behind it.
But on Monday, the President said the revolutionary government should be discussed publicly, and “not sub rosa.”
"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.
"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.