Former UP Law dean on RevGov advocates: Nagbibiro sila

Supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte who are calling for the establishment of a revolutionary government should not be taken seriously, law expert Pacifico Agabin said Monday.

Agabin, a former dean of the UP College of Law, was referring to a group, the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte - National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD-NECC), that has called for the president to lead a revolutionary government to fulfill his campaign promise of establishing a federal form of government.

“Hindi natin dapat seryosohin kasi nagbibiro lang sila,” Agabin said in an interview with Dobol B sa News TV.

The law expert cited that the 1987 Constitution does not provide for a creation of a revolutionary government and only allows the following methods in amending the 1987 Constitution:

• a proposal made by Congress, upon an affirmative vote of three-fourths of all its members;
• a constitutional convention; and
• a proposal by the people through initiative upon a petition of at least 12% of the total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at 3% of the registered voters therein.

“Walang basehan iyon [revolutionary government] sa batas,” he added.

Duterte himself floated the idea of leading a revolutionary government, claiming that there were destabilization attempts against his administration.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. already ruled out Palace support for such initiative, saying that the President is focused on addressing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic—a situation that imposed quarantines and restricted economic activity, leaving 27 million Filipinos unemployed.

“It does not enjoy any support po from government right now,” Roque, a lawyer, said.

Roque, however, did not say that the call for a revolutionary government is illegal even if the creation of it is unconstitutional.

“It is a private initiative but the private individuals can express freely their views as part of freedom of speech,” Roque added. — Llanesca T. Panti/BM, GMA News