An advocacy group composed of retired military generals today rejected the call by supporters of President Duterte to create of a revolutionary government.
The Advocates for National Interest (ANI) said it "opposes any initiative from any sector that will undermine the Constitution of the Philippines."
"We are against the establishment of a revolutionary form of government because it is baseless, illegal, and will only add to the suffering of our people," the group said, emphasizing the current ordeal faced by the Filipinos due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
"Our nation must remain united under one flag, one constitution," it added.
The group released the statement after the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD-NECC) revealed their intention to abolish the constitutional government and replace it with a revolutionary government.
Members of the MRRD-NECC held an assembly in Angeles City, Pampanga last Aug. 22 where they signed a manifesto to push their agenda.
ANI said the establishment of a revolutionary government will only "bring about major changes in the institutions of our country including the Legislative and the Judiciary thru authoritarian undemocratic means."
"It will produce bigger problems than what it tries to solve," ANI stressed.
The 20-member ANI is chaired by retired Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan, who became a member of the Zenarosa Commission which was created to fight private armed groups after the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre and the executive director of a presidential commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in 2007.