Call for RevGov aims to distract public from poor COVID-19 response – Bayan

MANILA, Philippines — Talks about installing a revolutionary government (RevGov) are only meant to distract the public from the government’s allegedly inadequate COVID-19 response, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said on Monday.

Bayan accused the administration of diverting discussions from its shortcomings to the call for a RevGov, which was initiated by supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Over the weekend, at least 300 individuals from the People’s National Coalition for Revolutionary Government and Charter Change gathered to support a revolutionary government to fast-track federalism during an event sponsored by the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD-NECC).

But Bayan Secretary-General Renato Reyes said there was nothing “revolutionary” about the suggestions of the two groups.

“The RevGov proposal is one big distraction from the failures of the regime to address the COVID crisis. Not only is this proposal devoid of any legal basis, it does not enjoy any public support. There is nothing ‘revolutionary’ in its content and agenda,” Reyes said in a message to reporters.

“Rather than engaging the proponents of RevGov, the public must stay focused on the crucial issues such as COVID19, the economic crisis, the corruption in government, the extrajudicial killings of activists and the measure aimed to curtail our rights,” he added.

On Monday, the Department of Health announced that the country had breached the 194,000 mark in COVID-19 cases, with 3,010 of the patients dead and 132,042 others recovered.

The Philippines already has the highest number of confirmed cases in Southeast Asian and has already surpassed China — the origin of the latest coronavirus strain.

“Right now, DOH reports 226,000 individuals testing positive for COVID19, giving us a very high 10.5% cumulative positivity rate. This is much higher than the 189,000 or so confirmed cases. Despite the DOH claims of mass recoveries, infections remain very high,” Reyes said.

“We should continue to press the government to address the crisis,” he added.

Previously, several senators have condemned the RevGov proposal, with Sen. Joel Villanueva saying that inciting to sedition raps should be filed against proponents because the democratic government had a sitting president — Duterte.

Meanwhile, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal warned Duterte supporters that they might be in for a surprise about RevGov, because if Duterte should become head of the RevGov, it would mean that he had ceased to be the government’s president.

In that case, Macalintal’s client, opposition figurehead Vice President Leni Robredo, would take the helm.

Malacañang and several government officials, including those from the military, have dismissed RevGov talks, saying that it is not a supported cause.

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