BY AARON RECUENCO * MARTIN SADONGDONG
The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of National Defense (DND) declared on Sunday that they do not support any move to launch a revolutionary government being initiated by staunch supporters of President Duterte.
PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said the police organization operates under the rule of law and any move that would go against the law, especially the Constitution, is illegal.
“The PNP is loyal to the Constitution and we will follow the existing laws and lawful authorities. This is one of the mandates that we have sworn into, that is, that we will uphold the Constitution and obey only the legal authority,” said Banac.
“So any move that will go against the Constitution will not be supported by the PNP,” he stressed.
Banac was reacting to the Revolutionary Government being pushed by die-hard Duterte supporters group alled Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD-NECC).
In a letter to the Chief PNP dated August 17, the group sought a dialogue with Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa on August 20 before its August 22 assembly to sign what it describes as “Pahayag ng Bayan Tungo sa Tunay na Pagbabago” in Pampanga.
Gamboa confirmed that he was indeed invited by the group but said the letter did not reach him, thus, he failed to act.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also confirmed that he also received the same invitation from MRRD-NECC.
“We got it thru Viber but (it was) not (sent) to us (physically) by the alleged authors,” Lorenzana said late Saturday.
The defense chief said he did not attend the August 20 meeting because “we do not support” the group and its advocacy.
The group said it wants the new government to be headed by Duterte until December 31, 2021, after which, an election shall be held under the newly amended constitution in a federal form of government.
“The principal objective of pursuing a revolutionary government through peaceful and non-violent means is to bring about a genuine change that we, and then Mayor Duterte, promised during the 2016 presidential campaign to establish law and order, public safety, equal opportunity in public service, social justice and economic freedom,” the group said.
The group held an assembly in Angeles, Pampanga on Saturday where they signed a manifesto which stated their intention for the establishment of a revolutionary government.
Banac said they are not taking the group seriously since the name of the advocacy being pushed is an invitation to violate the Constitution.
“We are not taking this seriously. We will not attend that kind of meeting. We assure the public that the PNP will remain loyal to the Constitution,” said Banac.
But Banac said they will continue to monitor the group not only because of the revolutionary government it is advocating but also on the possible violation of quarantine rules, with the admission of the group that it will hold a series of dialogues to drum up support.
Banac, however, said that the group’s meetings would be respected by the PNP because it is part of the freedom of expression.
A JOKE
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon called the group’s initiatives “a joke.”
“The joke going around is that some groups are going to topple the government and install the President as head of a revolutionary government. Creative. There is no model for this anywhere in the world,” she said in a tweet on Saturday.
In 2017 and 2019, Duterte threatened to declare a revolutionary government amid claims of a supposed ouster plot against him.
Veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal had said back then that if a revolutionary government is declared by Duterte, Vice President Leni Robredo would have to replace him as the chief executive.
A revolutionary government would mean the abolishment of the three branches of government — the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary.
