Chief presidential legal counsel insists declaration of revolutionary government is constitutional
admin • November 3, 2017 • 4774
MANILA, Philippines — “To serve and protect the Filipino people” will be the basis of President Rodrigo Duterte in case he will be forced to declare the revolutionary government.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo said during his interview on Get It Straight with Daniel Razon that the statement of the president is a warning to those who are trying to disrupt the democratic process in the country.
However, the presidential lawyer did not deny that revolutionary government is not written in the Philippine Constitution.
“What the President is saying is, ‘Do not force my hand into it because I know there are conspiracies. But if there are overt acts that will dismantle this democratic process, that’s a different thing’,” said the chief presidential legal counsel.
“Which part of the Constitution indicates the declaration of the revolutionary government?” asked Razon.
“It’s not indicated specifically but the logic there is serving and protecting the people and his oath of office which is defending and preserving the Constitution,” he said.
“So, it means since you are trying to preserve the Constitution, you’re trying to protect the people,” said Razon.
“And you are the constitutionally elected president, you can’t just be removed,” added Panelo.
Under the revolutionary government, it is possible to remove the Congress as well as those who are corrupt in the government.
“If revolutionary government will be declared, nothing will be changed, most likely it will only be but the judicial system remains… those who are afraid of the revolutionary government are the scoundrels, and the corrupt,” said the presidential lawyer.
Panelo concluded that a country’s form of government still depends on what kind of leader that country has.
However, the mandate to perform his duties as the chief executive of the country is still given by the Filipino people.
“In my opinion, whatever form of government, as long as you are implementing it well, it is good for the people,” said Panelo.
“So incorrect dictatorial power. Does that mean this revolutionary government we are thinking of is correct dictatorial? Is that right?” asked Razon.
“Dictator in the sense that the Constitution states we have three branches but the powers are given to the executive and legislative. In a sense, it is dictator. Anyway, if the people will agree, no one disagrees, if ever, there are only a few, but the majority agrees, it’s constitutional because the sovereign voice of the people have spoken,” explained Panelo. — Rosalie Coz | UNTV News and Rescue
A doctor and health reform advocate has recommended the extend the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon due to the continuous rise in confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country.
In an interview in ‘Get it Straight with Daniel Razon’, Special Adviser to the National Action Plan on COVID-19 Chief Implementor Dr. Anthony Leachon said there are several things to consider before lifting the ECQ.
Leachon noted that the government should look into the number of recoveries from the virus, the number of new cases, and the number of deaths to see if there is a considerable drop.
“We must not rush into this. Nagsabi ang World Health Organization (WHO) two weeks ago na the Philippines is not ready for lifting the lockdown,” he said.
Leachon also suggests lifting the ECQ gradually and prioritize areas which have a huge decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases.
Meanwhile, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) still has not announced any official decision on the said recommendation for ECQ extension. AAC (with reports from Dante Amento)
The government is looking for a single facility to house confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients to prevent overcrowding in hospitals.
On Monday (March 16), Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the recommendation will be discussed in a meeting with the members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
“We are recommending that there should be only one place where we can put all those confirmed cases,” he said.
Panelo said this would lessen the risk of occupational transmission of the virus. He said placing patients in one or two facilities may help in controlling the spread of the disease.
“Baka maubusan tayo ng ospital na paglalagayan (We might run out of hospitals for the patients); and not only that, we are exposing our health workers to the same infection,” he said. — AAC
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo and President Rodrigo Duterte
MANILA, Philippines – The scheduled televised one-on-one interview of President Rodrigo Duterte with his spokesperson Salvador Panelo has been postponed anew.
In a televised advisory, Panelo said the interview with Duterte, which was supposed to be held Tuesday, will be moved to a later date because the president is feeling “under the weather.”
Panelo said it may be rescheduled next week.
The said interview was initially set on January 22 but was postponed due to “pressing matters.”
The president conducted his first televised interview with Panelo in September 2018 where they discussed wide-ranging topics on martial law in Mindanao, reopening of Boracay Island, increasing rice prices, his critic former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, among others. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Rosalie Coz)
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