RevGov advocates’ proposal ‘strange, incomprehensible’: Palace

However, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said he found it peculiar how a group that claims to support the President would consider such an option. (PCOO file photo)

MANILA – The proposal of the pro-Duterte group seeking to establish a revolutionary government and adopt a new federal constitution is “strange and incomprehensible,” Malacañang said Wednesday.

After getting snubbed by the President, the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte – National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD-NECC) expressed openness to having Vice President Leni Robredo as an alternative to lead the revolutionary government, which they are pushing to hasten charter change.

However, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said he found it peculiar how a group that claims to support the President would consider such an option.

“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. So I find it strange. The whole exercise to me is incomprehensible,” Roque said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source.

He reiterated that Duterte has made up his mind to oppose calls for a revolutionary government but would not stop them from pushing for their advocacy.

MRRD-NECC spokesperson Francisco Arlene Buan earlier said Duterte is still the best option to lead a revolutionary government given his previous statements in support of federalism.

However, Buan said if Duterte refuses, they could also consider Robredo.

In an address on Monday night, Duterte said talks about a revolutionary government should be “discussed publicly, including the military.”

Roque explained that the President was simply expressing his “dedication to the free marketplace of ideas.”

“If there are those who feel that there is a need for a revolutionary government, they should be heard in a public debate, in a public discussion of the issue, not sub rosa. Sub rosa was a word he used, which meant ‘not in confidence or not in private’,” he said. “If the military wants to join the discussion, 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.”

Roque noted that Duterte’s conviction is that there is “no need” for a revolutionary government since he is a constitutionally elected President.

“As far as his personal conviction is concerned, he was clear he does not need the revolutionary government because it’s a constitutional government and he will finish his term and go home to Davao,” he said.

Unconstitutional revgov

Roque said a revolutionary government does not fall within the framework of the 1987 Constitution.

“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.

Roque assured that the President, who was elected to a fixed term in office, would step down when his term ends in 2022.

“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.

Roque, however, said a revolutionary government becomes constitutional once “ratified by the people.”

“We’re no strangers to revolutionary governments. Cory Aquino’s government was a revolutionary government and it was during her term of office that we came up with the ‘87 constitution.

So revolutionary government in the case of (the) Cory Aquino government is unconstitutional but if the people ratify it, then it becomes constitutional,” he said.

Roque broached the idea that people ratifying a revolutionary government may happen “at some point in the future” but said the President remains faithful to the 1987 Constitution.