Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Monday, August 24, that fresh calls to declare a revolutionary government do not have the backing of Malacañang. 

In a press briefing with reporters, Roque reiterated calls for such – revived through an assembly of hundreds in Pampanga on Saturday, August 22 – were part of initiatives of private individuals “freely expressing” their opinion. 

“It does not enjoy any support from government right now…but the private individuals can express freely their views,” he said. 

Roque added such moves were also not among the administration’s priorities as government continues to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. He said that President Rodrigo Duterte likewise considered it “moot and academic” as the President heads a constitutional government. 

Neither was Duterte interested in any call to extend his term beyond 2022, Roque said, as he reiterated the Chief Executive’s words that he was tired and wanted to step down when his term was over. 

“That’s the farthest from the mind of the President and I can assure you that,” Roque said, when asked about the idea of a revolutionary government extending Duterte’s presidency. 

What revolutionary government?

On Saturday, August 22, a group of Duterte supporters gathered at the Clark Freeport in Pampanga to present a manifesto supposedly backed by 300 supporters. 

Supporters claimed that the revolutionary government it was pursuing “shall reign over our country and people, only up to June 30, 2022” and that it wanted to adopt a new constitution. 

Lawyers have denounced the claim as unconstitutional while Vice President Leni Robredo called it a “big joke.” Meanwhile, a sitting senator also said calls for a revolutionary government can amount to inciting to sedition. 

Asked to comment on this, Roque disagreed and said it could be considered “protected speech” as there was “no clear and present danger arising from their speech.” 

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) said a revolutionary government is unconstitutional. And while the IBP said calls for it can be excused as a practice of freedom of expression, the calls cannot be “allowed to progress into actions that violate existing laws.”

Gov’t critics

Meanwhile, Filipinos have been charged for inciting to sedition just over posts critical of the government.

In May, the National Bureau of Investigation arrested two teachers – one who had tweeted about a reward to kill Duterte, and another who had posted about going to a local warehouse to take food aid allegedly being kept away from them by the local government.

During the briefing Roque also said that while the Palace did not support calls for a revolutionary government, neither was Duterte abandoning his federalism campaign.

“Not at all. The ways to achieve charter change for a federal form of government is constitutional convention, constitutional assembly, or people’s initiative… That (revolutionary government) is not part of the constitutional options,” Roque said in a mix of English and Filipino. – Rappler.com