Federal party head says: Several provinces now ready for revolutionary government

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Several provinces in the country are now ready for a revolutionary government, according to lawyer Joel Obar, founder of the People’s Solidarity Federal Party who also believed that time is now running out for President Rodrigo Duterte to establish the federal form of government.

Obar said the PDP-Laban party of Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. III has already announced the formation of a 12-man senatorial slate for 2019, a proof that Congress is not anymore pushing for a federal form of government, after the opposition wiggled its way to eat up the time so Duterte will not be able to do it.

In lieu of this, however, workers of Duterte have decided to mobilize themselves and formed the network revolution, as what Obar did, in calling all the 16 million voters of the president to deliver to him the powers of sovereignty to govern a revolutionary government, the target date of which is on November 30, this year.

Unlike the 1986 revolution—which is an oligarch fighting against another oligarch—workers of Duterte would make this on a nationwide scale, Obar said. This time, it will be participated by all the tribes of the country, the Ilongos, the Muslims in Mindanao, the Cebuanos, Igorots, Bicolanos, the Lumads, and other minority groups, he said.

Obar made it clear, the President has nothing to do with this, and that this is purely a peoples initiative. It is a national and regional network of revolution, with several provinces already forming groups among themselves already, such as in Cebu, Davao and Baguio and lately, Zamboanga, Tacloban and Bacolod.

All the other provinces near Metro Manila are networking with the center for purposes of going to the streets, to fill the roads going to Malacañang on November 30.

Obar said the theory is not for the president to assume revolutionary powers but for the people to grant him such powers as a democratic country. A revolutionary government is not mentioned in the 1987 Constitution, but it is a democratic exercise of people to express themselves, he said.

Obar said the advantage of a revolutionary government is this allows the president to remove the drug lords, narco politicians, corrupt public officials without constraints including the making of certain rules on engagements, making certain rules on contracts of projects, among others.

The only question that will be asked during the activity is “do you trust the president,” if yes, join us, Obar pointed out, and if no, then join the opposition or the PDP-Laban.

Under the proposal of the network revolution is for the abrogation of the 1987 Constitution that will result to a revival of the 1973 Constitution, which was suspended by the people who grabbed power in 1986. Under the 1973 constitution, the president exercises both the executive and legislative powers, may close Congress so budget can be used for the rehabilitation of Marawi until a new constitution is crafted. (FREEMAN)