Duterte to dissolve Congress over ‘pork’ barrel

MANILA, Philippines - Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte warned of a revolutionary government should Congress not scrap the pork barrel fund of lawmakers.

Duterte said he would move to dissolve Congress and impose martial law if the lawmakers refuse to cooperate with him should he be elected president.

“That would be an extreme option. Martial law by its nature is to meet the contingencies of rebellion and invasion. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth to say it. But if Congress will not agree to let go of the money which the people of the Philippines do not like, and if I force the issue and they threaten me with impeachment, then we will have a constitutional crisis. The pillage must stop,” he said.

Duterte said as president, he would be entrusted by the people to stop all forms of corruption and plunder.

“People think you are spending their money. People think that you are pocketing most of their livelihood money, people think that you are all crooks. If a war breaks out because they will not listen to us, I will declare a revolutionary government. If Cory did it, I will do it,” Duterte said, referring to the late president Corazon Aquino who declared a revolutionary government and dissolved Congress after the overthrow of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.

Duterte said he wanted former military officials to head frontline government agencies in dealing with disaster response and drug trafficking.

He stressed retired and former military men have the necessary skills and training to handle sensitive issues, particularly on peace and order as well as criminality.

Duterte stressed the dangers posed by illegal drugs to the country’s security.

“I have been a prosecutor which is the reason I am really against illegal drugs. I really grit my teeth every time an issue on drugs comes to fore. Almost all crimes are drug related nowadays. It is imbibed by everybody and they go to crime,” he said.