Senators defend, criticize President’s warning
While some senators believe that President Duterte will not make real his warning to suspend the writ of habeas corpus and declare a revolutionary war to go after his critics, members of the opposition have criticized the remark as a “cause for alarm.”
Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday said Duterte may have blurted out such statements due to frustration, especially over his campaign against criminality and illegal drugs.
“He is just frustrated. I’m sure he will have a better outlook once his programs vs criminality becomes more successful,” Sotto said in a text message.
He also noted that “constitutional safeguards” were placed regarding the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.
Meanwhile, he downplayed as a “metaphor” Duterte’s threat to order a revolutionary war until the end of his term.
Senator Panfilo Lacson is also convinced that Duterte, being a l a w y e r, will not do these.
“Because he is too smart and intelligent to know he cannot do it,” Lacson said.
For opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros, however, the Chief Executive’s statement “is not only a cause for alarm, it is also shameful.”
Hontiveros expressed dismay that Duterte supposedly chose to “pick on his own people” rather than defending the country from the invasion of foreign countries, particularly China.
“Instead of standing up to China’s aggression, President Duterte threatens his own people with warrantless arrests and war,” she said in a statement.
“What should be suspended are not the people’s civil liberties but the onerous contracts entered into by President Duterte with the Chinese government. Those who should be arrested are not our countrymen and women but foreign encroachers who illegally occupy our territories, threaten our small fisherfolk, smuggle illegal drugs and rob our workers of their jobs,” she added.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan, for his part, dared Duterte to crack down on big-time drug lords and not his critics.
“Pakita niyang seryoso at hindi gawagawa lamang ang kampanya laban sa mga druglord. Mga drug lord ang takutin at arestuhin nya gamit ang buong pwersa ng gobyerno (He should show that his campaign against drug lords is serious and not just made up. He should threaten and arrest drug lords with the full force of government),” Pangilinan said.
Duterte, in his speech at a gathering of lawyers in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on April 4, said he might order the suspension the writ of habeas corpus, declare a “revolutionary war” and arrest his critics.
His statements were made after Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon advised the Duterte administration to be cautious in reviewing government contracts as it cannot easily order its cancellations.
Meanwhile, senatorial bet and veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal on Friday said Vice President Leni Robredo “becomes President once Duterte declares a revolutionary government.”
Macalintal, who is also Robredo’s lead counsel, said that once Duterte declares a revolutionary government, “he ceases to be President having divested himself of the Presidency.”
He added that “such act will pave the way” for Robredo to “take over the vacant position of President and assume the functions and the Office of the President.”
Macalintal, on the other hand, explained that declaring a revolutionary government would mean that Duterte “becomes the leader of a revolutionary government” while Robredo becomes “the leader as president of a duly constituted government.”
“Declaring a revolutionary government is not the function of the president,” Macalintal said. “On the other hand, it is his solemn duty under the constitution to protect our government and country from any act that would topple or put down our government,” he added. (With a report from Merlina Hernando Malipot)