No to revolutionary government

In sociology, revolutionary government is a radical and pervasive change in society and the social structure, especially one made suddenly and often accompanied by violence.

In the Philippines there were two important declarations in 1898 that paved the way for a revolutionary government to take place. First, on June 12 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo issued the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain and immediately issued a decree formally establishing his dictatorial government. Second, on June 23 of the same year, Aguinaldo issued another decree replacing his dictatorial government with a revolutionary government, with himself as President.

In 1986 another revolutionary government was declared in the Philippines. The late President Cory Aquino established a revolutionary government after leading a people power uprising in 1986 that ended the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Cory Aquino sacked all elected officials, abolished Congress and tore up the 1973 Constitution in favor of a revolutionary government. But she then ensured a new Philippine Constitution in 1987.

With these two scenarios, we can say that Filipinos are not alien when it comes to revolutionary government.

Since August of this year, President Duterte has been directly quoted that he is prepared to establish a revolutionary government to fend off alleged efforts to oust him. The President was also quoted saying that only a revolutionary government can crush the crimes and corruption crippling the country all this time.

I know in my heart that the President was not lying or issuing threats to his detractors. I know that when he is pushed to the wall the President will declare a revolutionary government just like what he did when he declared martial in Mindanao on May 23, 2017.

But what does it take to declare a revolutionary government? The history will tell us that French and American revolution took place to gain freedom. The French Revolution took place from 1789 to 1799. It led the end of the monarchy, and to many wars. The revolt saw the execution of King Louis XVI in 1793. The revolution ended when Napoleon Bonaparte took power in November 1799 while the American Revolution was a colonial revolt that took place between 1765 and 1783. The American Patriots in the Thirteen Colonies or Thirteen United States won independence from Great Britain, and thus become the United States of America.

What will be the basis this time for President Duterte to declare revolutionary government? In Cory’s time, it was more of a provisional government than revolutionary because President Aquino had taken the Office of the Philippine President as a result of the 1986 “People Power Revolution”. It remained in effect only until February 2, 1987, when the Constitution of the Philippines (1987) was ratified.

Again, what will be the basis for President Duterte to declare a revolutionary government in the Philippines? War on drugs is not a revolt by definition. Corruption in the government is too lame a reason to declare revolution.

If I will be asked of my take in this issue, I would rather the President declare martial law putting the entire country in martial rule because we still have the Congress and the supreme court to decide on the legality of the declaration. With a revolutionary government, the entire country is at the mercy of the President. No one will check the balance and the excesses of the government because it is in the state of revolution.