Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto. FILE PHOTO / Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte’s remarks against calls for a revolutionary government (RevGov) should be seen as a “cease-and-desist” order.
This was according to Senator President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, who slammed as a “dangerous experiment” efforts made by a pro-Duterte group to establish a RevGov.
The President has already dismissed these calls, claiming he has no links with the said group.
“Wala akong pakialam diyan, wala akong kilala sa mga tao na yan at hindi ko yan trabaho,” Duterte said in a recorded speech earlier aired on state television Tuesday.
(I don’t care about them, I don’t know anyone from them and that is not my job.)
In reaction to this, Recto said: “The President has spoken.”
“It should be read as a cease-and-desist order in big, bold letters by those pushing for this dangerous experiment,” the senator said.
Further, he stressed that what the country needs is a focused response to the pandemic.
“A RevGov is not a vaccine against the virus. But a revved up government is what we need to fight the pandemic,” Recto said.
“Stick to the Constitution. It may have some bad components, but it remains the best app for the rule of law,” he added.
A group called Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD-NECC) earlier launched a movement calling for a RevGov led by the Duterte administration in order “to fast-track federalism.”
But both lawmakers and military officials thumbed down these calls.
Vice President Leni Robredo also branded efforts to establish a RevGov as “nonsense” and “illegal” while Senator Joel Villanueva urged the government to charge its proponents.
“This call for a revolutionary government is dangerous and amounts to inciting to sedition under the Revised Penal Code,” Villanueva said, referring to Article 142 of the code.
“This is an illegal act and the government should ensure that the perpetrators are charged,” he added.
JPV
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