'Paranoid, insecure' Duterte blasted for threatening to declare revolutionary gov't

MANILA, Philippines — A coaltion of cause-oriented groups and individuals on Saturday slammed President Rodrigo Duterte and called him a “paranoid” for threatening to declare a revolutionary government to quell efforts of the Left and his critics.

“Only a paranoid and insecure little man afraid of losing power will rationalize the need to impose a revolutionary government upon the people,” Tindig Pilipinas said in a statement.

“Like any abuser sensing that his victims are seeing him as the abuser that he is, he senses doom. He knows he is an empty can once he loses control,” it added.

“We call on all democratic forces within and outside the state to resist this move to subvert our nation for the interests of one man, his family and his cohorts.”

Duterte on Friday said he would not hesitate to impose a revolutionary government to quell alleged destabilization moves against his administration—a claim that the country’s top security officials already dismissed.

He added that he would use the revolutionary powers to avert the country from falling into chaos as he accused the Communist Party of the Philippines of playing a key role in the destabilization efforts.

Once the military government is restored, Duterte said he would order the security forces to arrest all destabilizers and go on a full-scale war against the communist rebels.

A lawyer, Duterte noted that his hands would not be tied in case he declares a revolutionary government – unlike when he imposes martial law, which mandates the reporting to Congress within 60 days upon declaration.

With the military and the police on his side, he doubted whether any effort to take over the government would be successful.

In the same statement, Tindig Pilipinas said Duterte is threatening to “annihilate” the country’s democracy by “playing his ultimate power game.”

“He is playing for survival. Let no one see this as anything else but weakness. There is nothing reformist, much less revolutionary in this,” the group said.

For their part, Liberal Party senators also on Saturday criticized the Duterte administration for insisting that the party has a plan to destabilize government.

They also pointed out that criticism is not tantamount to destabilization efforts.

"Ang kritisismo at pagpapahayag ng saloobin ay mga haligi ng demokrasya at hindi dapat ituring na destabilisasyon laban sa pamahalaan," said Sen. Francis Pangilinan, the president of the former ruling party.

Based on Article 3, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution, “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.”

Fundamental rights such as freedom of speech are recognized by the Constitution in building and maintaining a democratic society. 

Last week, the firebrand leader accused the LP of conspiring with communists to oust him from office—an allegation that both entities denied.

READ: LP senators, Reds deny conspiracy to oust Duterte