Proposed rev-gov to give Duterte 'extra powers', including legislation: group

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MANILA – A revolutionary government proposed by President Rodrigo Duterte's supporters aims to give him "extra powers" to effect "necessary changes" that Congress was "inutile" to do so, an official of the group said Monday.

Under the proposed government, Duterte would remain President until the end of his term on June 30, 2022, with Vice President Leni Robredo still his second-in-command, according to Bobby Brillante, national coordinator of the revolutionary government committee.

Duterte would be given "extra powers" to legislate if Congress fails to act on a legislative agenda after 30 days had lapsed.

When asked if the powers would be akin to a dictatorial government, Brillante said: "That is the character of revolutionary government, you give the head of the revolutionary government enough extra powers to execute what is to be executed."

He later clarified that the extra powers to be given to Duterte were "not dictatorial powers."

"Extra in the sense that upon failure of one institution to act, we should give the president the power to go ahead and do what is to be done for the welfare of the Filipino people," Brillante told ANC.

"If the worry of critics is to remove Leni Robredo from succession, we are not doing that, and we do not propose to do that."

The amendments to the Constitution proposed by the President's commission headed by former Chief Justice Reynato Puno would be submitted to the people "sometime in March or April next year," he added.

When asked if equipping the President with legislative powers would make Congress irrelevant, Brillante said the legislative body was irrelevant "right now because they are not serving the people."

"The title of House of Representatives right now is representatives, but they do not represent the interest and sentiment of their districts," he said.

Brillante said lawmakers have failed to enact a law prohibiting political dynasties, citing the 17th Congress' removal of the ban on political families' extensive rule.

"They’ve failed to do that because 70 percent or more of them are product of political dynasties. If we allow this system, political monopoly, wala talagang mangyayari. We are not giving enough opportunities for our people to serve," he said.

Brillante, meantime, reiterated that the movement was a people's initiative when asked about its relations with Malacañang.

"The organizations supporting this are all non-government organizations and civil society groups and political organizations. And this is for the purpose of enhancing the campaign promises made during the presidential campaign in 2016," he said.

"We’re not doing this only for President Duterte, we are doing this for the succeeding presidents to give him or her the opportunity to effect changes as needed."

Malacañang, in a statement, said it would focus on the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic but said the organizers "are free to publicly express their opinion."

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Brillante said the movement does not violate any law. Robredo called the proposal "illegal" as it aims to "overthrow" the Constitution.

• Robredo urges Duterte admin to stop 'illegal' rev-gov push

"We are still a free country, anybody can advocate for anything for as long as it is peaceful, democratic and non-violent like what we are doing right now," he said.

The proposal to install a revolutionary government has earned public ire, with some lawmakers saying there was no need for such movement.

Commission on Elections commissioner Rowena Guanzon called the proposal “a joke.”

"The joke going around is that some groups are going to topple the government and install the President as head of a revolutionary government. Creative .. there is no model for this anywhere in the world," she said in a now-deleted tweet.

Brillante said Guanzon should keep her opinion to herself as she was a member of a constitutional body that is a "final arbiter of political contest."

"Dapat di siya nakikialam dito dahil ang Commission on Elections ay non-partisan," he said.

Guanzon, on Twitter, defended her remarks about the movement, saying, "Kung mag-revolutionary govt kayo walang eleksyon. Yan ang pakialam ko!"

(If you have a revolutionary government, there will be no elections. That makes this my concern.)

"Demokraysa hindi disgrasya!" she added.