Palace to critics: RevGov is no longer an issue

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

The opposition should stop making a fuss out of the so-called revolutionary government as President Rodrigo Duterte would not declare such, a Palace official said Thursday.

“For the opposition, wala na ba kayong isyu pagdating dito sa revolutionary government? Dahil di umano at ayon sa kanila, ngayong araw daw magdedeklara ng revolutionary government. Wala pong revolutionary government,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview.

(For the opposition, don’t you have other issues except for this revolutionary government? Because according to them, today will be the declaration of the revolutionary government. There’s no such thing as revolutionary government.)

READ: Roque: Duterte doesn’t want Rev Gov but asks backers to hold peaceful rally

“Tapusin na po natin ang usaping revolutionary government. Move on na po tayo. Sa oposisyon, maghanap na po kayo ng ibang isyu,” he added.

(Let us all end the issue of revolutionary government. Let us move on. For the opposition, it’s time to find a new issue.)

Roque said there is no need to declare such kind of government because the President himself already rejected such proposal for several times.

READ: Duterte says establishing RevGov is like ‘looking for a headache’

Early November, a few weeks after proclaiming he would declare a revolutionary government if political opponents try to topple him from power, Duterte said he would not declare revolutionary government because he lacked military support.

“Tama siya. Tinanong ko ang military. Sabi nila, ‘hindi kami susuporta ng revolutionary government.’ Sabi ko, ‘Why?’ Sabi nila, ‘Dahil sabi ni Vice President Robredo.’ ‘O bakit?’ Sabi niya, ‘Mas gusto namin siya. Babae at saka hindi nagmumura.’ Ganun,” Duterte said.

(She’s right. I asked the military. They said, ‘we won’t back a revolutionary government.’ I asked, ‘why?’ They said, ‘because Vice President Robredo told us not to support it.’ ‘O why?’ They said, “We like her more. She’s a woman and she doesn’t curse.’)

Roque also assured Vice President Leni Robredo that a revolutionary government would not happen for now, saying that Duterte would only push for it when the state is already on the brink of collapse.

“With all due respect to the Vice President, I do not see what is alarming because the President has time and again said that he will only resort to revolutionary government kapag supposed, ano, kapag lupaypay na ‘yung gobyerno, ‘pag naghihingalo na ‘yung gobyerno, ano (when the government is already on the brink of collapse),” he said.

“The President is the… president. He is the constitutional president. He won with an overwhelming lead over his rivals, and he enjoys unprecedented popularity,” he added.

The spokesperson also defended government officials who back the move, noting that it was merely their personal belief.

Early on Thursday, Robredo raised alarm over the participation of some government officials to the movement for a revolutionary government saying that the move is an attempt to undermine the Constitution and the government. /jpv

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