A confluence of certain events these past weeks is raising concern among some political observers and among the Fourth Estate. First, a definition of terms. Confluence in the Merriam Webster dictionary means the coming together or the joining of two rivers or streams to become one mighty river. The Fourth Estate, to those who are not members of it, is the other name for media or journalistic profession.
Journalists being suspicious in nature tend to see shadows where others do not. Thus, the press fears that President Rodrigo Duterte might adopt draconian measures to tighten his grip on government and the populace.
What are these recent events that have become worrisome to certain sectors like the press and the legal profession? The President’s supporters may dismiss these events outright as mere speculation.
Nevertheless, it’s better to acknowledge these red flags early to warn those who are toying with the idea to think twice before embarking on it.
Foremost of these fears is that President Duterte could declare and form a revolutionary government. This step is more within his power than declaring martial law nationwide. As seen in recent events, the imposition of martial law by Duterte up to the end of the year needed the approval of Congress. Any citizen could also elevate and question before the Supreme Court the legality of martial law particularly the extent of its coverage and period of imposition.
The precedent for the declaration of a revolutionary government was done by Cory Aquino when she was thrust to the presidency in the aftermath of Edsa People Power in 1986. This was immediately followed by a constitutional convention which drafted the 1987 Constitution that emasculated martial law so it won’t be subjected to abuse and prolonged imposition.
It won’t be far fetched that a Duterte revolutionary government could next amend the charter and push for federalism. This is within the realm of the possible, particularly if a conscripted Congress itself is convened into a constituent assembly instead of a constitutional convention with the delegates elected at large by the people.
The Supreme Court factor? There is presently a move to impeach Supreme Court Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for betrayal of public trust for allegedly granting allowances to SC staff and herself without the approval of the Supreme Court justices meeting en banc.
The move was initiated by a citizens group led by Dante Jimenez of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption. So far, no member of the House has stepped forward to endorse the complaint. But then of course a call from Malacañang is all it needs to get the impeachment case moving. There is no telling the President’s political allies are behind the ouster move against Sereno; once told by the Boss, they would jump to do his bidding.
A word of warning to the compliant Congress. Be careful. Diluting your power could embolden the man at the Palace to abolish Congress itself. Former President Ferdinand Marcos abolished Congress when he declared martial law and there was hardly any opposition from the people who saw the lawmakers as the first to break the laws.
What are the other ominous dark clouds in the political horizon?
Aside from forming a revolutionary government and the ouster move against the Chief Justice, there is the recent report the government is hiring 30,000 military and police personnel. The President has asked Congress to allot funds for the recruitment of 20,000 soldiers and 10,000 policemen. This, of course, can be justified as strengthening the country’s law enforcement to deal with the global threat of terrorism as shown by the inroads made by ISIS in the Maute siege of Marawi. But this can also be seen as reinforcing the implementation of emergency rule. Not martial law but emergency rule which is a shade shy of the former. Alarming portents of things to come is Digong’s repeated statements he wants to abolish the Commission on Human Rights and denigrate the Office of the Ombudsman, two independent constitutional bodies which are critical of the administration’s bloody war on illegal drugs.
Is this Duterte’s way of silencing his critics?
