President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo sing the national anthem during the 38th Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Commencement Exercises for “Masidlak” Class of 2017 at Camp General Mariano N. Castañeda in Silang, Cavite on March 24, 2017. (Photo by KING RODRIGUEZ / Presidential Photographers Division)
Vice President Leni Robredo welcomed on Wednesday President Rodrigo Duterte’s “definitive” statement that he would neither declare revolutionary government nor impose martial law.
“The latest statement of the President clearly and definitively saying that he will not declare a revolutionary government nor impose martial law, is an important, and welcome, step towards allaying the fears of many Filipinos that a return to the chaos and uncertainty of a dictatorial regime may be imminent,” Robredo said in a statement.
“It is our hope that this declaration will put an end to the dangerous and alarming proposals made in both traditional and social media the past month to set aside the certainty and security of our Constitution and laws in favor of dictatorial rule by way of either ’revolutionary government’ or martial law,” she added.
Robredo said the Constitution, as a “covenant” between the people and the government, guarantees that public officials could always be held accountable and that they would not abuse their power.
“Every public official – including the President and myself – before assuming the duties of our respective offices, swears a solemn oath to uphold and defend the Constitution,” she said. “Our authority, and our legitimacy, is anchored on our fidelity to the Constitution, and to the democratic principles enshrined within it. Setting aside the Constitution is a betrayal of this oath, and denies this authority and legitimacy.”
On Tuesday, Duterte ended speculations that he would declare a revolutionary government, saying the nation would “get nothing from it.”
“We serve to protect the people and our country, to preserve the republic. Do not believe in coups, revolutionary [government], coups,” Duterte said during his visit to wounded soldiers at the Army General Hospital in Fort Bonifacio.
Robredo said Duterte’s pronouncement “should serve as a clear message to all our public officials and our people – the oaths we took will continue to be honored, and our Constitution, and the democratic republic it establishes, will be upheld and defended.”
“Our people deserve no less,” she said. /atm