Pro-Duterte group calling for RevGov being monitored —PNP

The Philippine National Police is monitoring the group of President Rodrigo Duterte's supporters calling for a revolutionary government, the PNP spokesperson said Sunday.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, spokesman Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac said the PNP is watching out for the group's next move.

“Ito ay kailangan nating pag-aralan at i-monitor dahil kakaiba ang pangalan ng grupo. Subalit kailangan pa natin antabayanan ang susunod na aksyon ng nasabing grupo,” Banac said.

Banac refused to divulge what PNP unit is handling the matter.

The Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte -National Executive Coordinating Committee invited officials such PNP chief General Archie Gamboa, and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to a meeting.

According to the officials, the agenda of the meeting was to discuss the proposed revolutionary government.

“Tayo ay nagpapaalala na tayo'y nasa ialim ng rule of law so napakahalaga na ang lahat ay tatalima base sa ating umiiral na Konstitusyon,” Banac said.

“Nais din natin na bigyan ng katiyakan sa publiko na ang PNP po ay mananatiling tapat sa atin pong Constitution. Susunod lamang tayo sa mga umiiral na batas,” Banac said.

Earlier, the PNP and Lorenzana expressed no support for the call for a revolutionary government.

During the presidential campaign in 2016, then-Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he is planning to form a revolutionary government if elected President.

In 2017, Duterte threatened to declare a revolutionary government in case “destabilization” moves by his critics, particularly the Left, continue and start slipping into chaos.

In April 2019, the President threatened to declare a revolutionary war, during which he would have his critics arrested, if he was "pushed to the wall."

Malacañang on Sunday distanced itself from the efforts, saying that a private group was behind the efforts and they are free to voice their opinions.

"While the President may have at one time in the campaign or in another in one of his speeches, expressed a need for it, he was quick to qualify it as only if all others means constitutionally allowed to effect a radical change in the social, political and economic structure fail," said chief presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo.

Vice President Leni Robredo however said Duterte will be violating the Constitution, and must abandon his post as Chief Executive in the event that he will declare a revolutionary government.

For its part, the MRRD-NCCC said they plan to conduct nationwide caravans to push for the revolutionary government.

"Sana 'yung mga pansarili nating ambisyon, sarili nating interes ay itabi muna natin," said the group's deputy national spokesperson Bobby Brillante.

"Isulong muna natin 'yung pagbabago at isaalang-alang natin, our paramount concern should be welfare of our people, economic democracy, social justice, and dismantle the monopoly of political power among the few," he said in a report on GMA's "24 Oras Weekend" on Sunday.

The group hopes that the shift would be pushed by December 2021. — with Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/LBG/BM, GMA News