Duterte denies ties with group pushing for revolutionary gov’t

President Rodrigo Duterte has denied any hand on the recent call of his supporters for a revolutionary government.

"Marami ngayon, may naglalabas na revolutionary government tapos ako ang sinasabi na... Wala akong pakialam diyan, wala akong kilala na mga tao na 'yan at hindi ko 'yan trabaho," Duterte said in a taped address aired Tuesday.

It was recently reported that the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee, a group of the President's supporters, called for a meeting to push for a revolutionary government.

Some took it as a move to advance the long-debated Charter change.

Several senators said it would not solve the country's current problem on COVID-19.

Malacanñang, meanwhile, said the call for a revolutionary government "came from a private group and the organizers are free to publicly express their opinion."

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque assured the public that the government is currently focused on addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, denouncing the call for revolutionary government, said the pro-Duterte group must be investigated as what they are advocating for is "illegal and unconstitutional."

Top military officials also assured that the Armed Forces would abide by to the Constitution and that there is no ongoing recruitment among their ranks to participate in such moves. 

The MRRD-NECC had pushed for the candidacy of Duterte, a former mayor of Davao City, for president in the 2016 elections.

Nearly two years after winning the presidency, Duterte attended the oath-taking of its officials and national summit on March 21, 2018 in Pasay City where he briefly spoke about the volunteer organization’s support for his political career.

"Ang nagtulong sa akin, I mean, as far as I know, ‘yun ‘yung MRRD. Marami ‘yan," Duterte said in his speech. —with Virgil Lopez/RSJ/KG, GMA News