RevGov: They’re playing with fire

What is this “Revolutionary Government” that keeps popping up in the news, and who are behind it? Here’s a web post on it, with the author’s name:

“A Primer on RevPowers, by Jose Alejandrino, Oct. 2017

“1. Rev powers are the same kind of powers given to Cory Aquino after Edsa. So there is a precedent. These powers encompass both executive and legislative powers. The president can rule by executive decree which has the force of law.

“2. Rev powers, or if you prefer, extraordinary or full powers, are non-transferable. They are only given to the president and are co-terminus with him.

“3. Rev powers result from the abrogation of the existing Constitution. Abrogation means the suspension of institutions and existing laws unless these are re-conducted or revived by executive decree. All positions in government are automatically vacated but the president can re-appoint by executive order.

“4. Rev powers automatically dissolve once a new Constitution is ratified by the people in a plebiscite.

“5. The people in its exercise of its sovereign will can grant rev powers to the president with the stipulation that a new Constitution be drawn up within a given period and set a date of ratification by the people following which rev powers automatically fall into abeyance. In other words, the people can grant rev powers up to a limited period. Such powers do not last forever.

“6. Rev powers are extraordinary powers to clean up a corrupt political system, rebuild broken institutions, and speed up delivery of the justice system.

“7. The grant of rev powers to the president is a matter of trust. They are intended to facilitate reforms by the president. How can those who trust the president and want change refuse him such powers? If they don’t trust him, obviously they are not for change because Duterte was elected on a platform of change.

“#PowerToThe People; #RevPower2PRRD; #RevGov2Federalism; RevGov Para sa Masa”

Last Sunday, Nov. 26, The STAR headlined, “Pro-revolutionary government rally set on Bonifacio Day.” Quoting a government security official, the report stated in part: “What is puzzling, he said, is that retired military officers identified with rightwing groups were reportedly organizing the rallies to support a revolutionary government. The pro-administration group also includes former communist leaders Nilo Tayag and Nilo dela Cruz. Tayag was a former top official of the Communist Party of the Philippines while de la Cruz was formerly associated with the Revolutionary Proletariat Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade during the Aquino and Ramos administrations.  The group, calling itself Democratic Front for Filipinism (DFF), is expected to resurrect last year’s call for President Duterte to disband the country’s so-called political and economic oligarchs that have abused the poor, by declaring a revolutionary government.”

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The unstated is what’s worrisome about this RevGov. Like, who are the political and economic oligarchs that they wish to disband? Are those the politically connected business families, like the Villars, Zamoras, Arroyos, and Marcoses? But they’re all close to and supporters of the Duterte administration. So are those their competitors who will be disbanded?

RevGov supposedly is like what Cory Aquino had. That’s a scary prospect. For, after the toppling of the plundering dictator Ferdinand Marcos by People Power in 1986, Aquino used RevGov to restore the old pre-martial law oligarchs. She confiscated the Marcos cronies’ conglomerates -- in media, power, banking, construction, mining, agribusiness, food and beverages -- and gave those to her own cronies. Dozens of companies of Marcos’ brother-in-law Kokoy Romualdez, instead of being sequestered by the Presidential Commission on Good Government, ended up in the hands of Aquino’s brother and brother-in-law. (Check out on the web “The Myth of Yellow Infallibility.”)

Abolishing all government positions except the Presidency, and all institutions including checks and balances, then ruling by executive decree is a prescription for chaos. That was what Marcos did in 1972-1986. At the start, criminality dropped as muggers and street toughies were arrested. In time, however, larger crimes were committed, as absolute power corrupted absolutely. Marcos and cronies took over all the industries and sucked up the nation’s wealth. Congress was padlocked, local elected officials removed, the Judiciary co-opted, the press muzzled, labor unions and student organizations suppressed. Political dissenters were jailed, abducted, or murdered. Referendums were held for some semblance of democracy, but rigged. Even music and literature, cinema and theater were restricted only to pro-Marcos propaganda.

Going back to oligarchs, how will they be disbanded – by having cronies take over? That would foment economic crisis and loss of confidence in the Philippines. First to collapse, as before, would be the stock market. The peso value would shrink. Capital will flee. No new investors would come in. Employees would be laid off. Joblessness would hit the roof. Consumer prices would soar. Farm produce would drop. A single typhoon could destroy the food supply. Food riots could erupt.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque sees no legal or national security justification for RevGov. Political opponents would always try to shake up any administration, but bringing it down is next to impossible. Besides, there is no constitutional basis for RevGov. Cory Aquino, when she ascended to Malacañang, did not swear allegiance to Marcos’ president-for-life Charter; in fact she repudiated it. Duterte in June 2016 swore to uphold and defend the 1987 Constitution, however; it would be a violation of his oath to abrogate it.

And what if he does repeal the Constitution duly ratified by the Filipino people, since the RevGov advocates seem to treat it as a mere piece of paper anyway. Would not the people too lose respect for the fundamental and any other law? Would it not be every man to himself, with no more regard for community and nation? And what if the aged Duterte, God forbid, pass away during the RevGov? With the Vice Presidency abolished, who would take his place? Would there not be a power struggle? By then, with the people divided in hatred, would there still be some muted voices left to at least pray that God save our land?

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