Alejano: Duterte’s ‘mind-conditioning fortunately fell short’
Two different groups converged in separate places last Thursday to respectively decry and support President Rodrigo Duterte’s idea of placing the country under a revolutionary government.
But the observation of an opposition lawmaker noted that although the pro-revolutionary government rally appeared to have been amply planned and funded, the gathering failed to deliver the promised number of purported advocates.
“(D)espite what appears to be an organized and sponsored mobilization, which was provided uniforms, transportation, and even food carts with PDP signages – a starkly different picture to that of an organic mobilization,” said Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano in a statement on Friday.
PDP refers to Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan, the political party of Mr. Duterte.
Alejano pointed out that it could not be denied that supporters of the revolutionary government were “encouraged” by Duterte’s repeated pronouncements, with other government officials following suit.
“What Duterte did was a mind-conditioning which, fortunately, fell short,” he said.
Confused supporters?
Last Thursday, which also happened to be Bonifacio Day – a regular holiday – Duterte supporters assembled in Mendiola, Manila, urging him to declare a revolutionary government.
However, Alejano noted that there seemed to be confusion on what the rallies are actually lobbying for.
“Supporters of federalism were suddenly converted into supporters of revolutionary government as if these two concepts are interchangeable – which in fact are not,” he pointed out.
Alejano then called for vigilance as the “impatient” Mr. Duterte and his administration “will try to shortcut everything to the point of disregarding democratic processes and violating the Constitution where its mandate is based upon.”
Duterte, in October, has floated the idea of forming a revolutionary government if ever “your destabilization is worsening and it is becoming chaotic.”
Duterte was referring to the alleged destabilization plots by the Communist groups, as well as the “yellows” or the allies of Liberal Party (LP) and the Aquino administration.
But last Tuesday, Duterte rejected calls to establish a revolutionary government.
The LP, meanwhile, hit Duterte for sending mixed signals to the public regarding the issue, asking him to categorically state that he has no plan of forming a revolutionary government.
Also on Thursday, as part of their Bonifacio Day tradition, left-leaning organizations held a demonstration at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila, but this time to protest the policies of the Duterte government, including the dangling possibility of a revolutionary government for the country. /kga
