MANILA - Magdalo party-list lawmaker Gary Alejano on Thursday warned President Rodrigo Duterte that declaring a revolutionary government is unconstitutional.

Alejano also lamented that there seems to be a "connivance to condition the minds of the people to accept the concept of revolutionary government," which would mean "operating outside of the 1987 Constitution."

"Given the current context, declaring a revolutionary government is practically abolishing the Constitution and essentially concentrating all the powers to a dictator, allowing him to run the country by himself. This is a direct assault to the Constitution," he said in a statement.

"Whoever pursues the revolutionary government should be considered enemies of the state and must be arrested by the state forces. The AFP and the PNP are mandated to defend the Constitution and to protect the people and the State," he added.

Alejano, whose impeachment case against the President was junked for insufficiency of substance, reminded Duterte that changing or amending the Constitution is provided in Article 18 of the Constitution.

"Idaan sa tama at legal na proseso ang pag-amyenda ng Saligang Batas at hindi sa paraan na labag sa probisyon nito," he said.

Duterte last week threatened to set up a revolutionary government amid alleged destabilization efforts by his enemies, including communist rebels, the rich, and even the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

The Chief Executive said he will declare all positions in government vacant if the country will descend into chaos amid what he believes are efforts by his political enemies to destabilize his administration.

Alejano, a former soldier, appealed to the Filipino people to keep watch in light of such declaration.

"Nananawagan ako sa taumbayan at sa lahat ng public officials na galangin ang ating Konstitusyon at sundin ang nakasaad dito. I call on the AFP and the PNP to defend the Constitution from all those who threaten to destroy it and maintain peace and stability in the country," he said.

"I warn those who plan to subvert the Constitution that their proposed cure is even more dangerous and destructive than the perceived disease of our country," he said.

Meanwhile, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said Duterte may have floated idea of a revolutionary government "out of his desperation for change that does not seem to come that easy which he practically assured the people during the campaign period in the 2016 polls."

However, he noted that being a lawyer, Duterte would know that a revolutionary government is the "result of a revolution where the existing legitimate government is completely overthrown by a new group of leaders that establishes its own government."

"For sure, Duterte would not allow any group to topple down our existing government as this will greatly disappoint the more than 16 million voters who elected him as President," he said.

"In a word, the President cannot revolt against the government of 'my country' but would definitely resist any move to cause its collapse into the hands of a revolting group of leaders," he added.

History, Macalintal said, would show that such a government is "not a guarantee or sure fire formula for our nation's quest for a truly successful government."

"In a word, it seems that our problem is not the system of government but the people who are running the system," he said.