Duterte eyeing revolutionary gov't with Joma Sison: Trillanes

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

Posted at 03 May 2016 12:00 PM | Updated as of 03 May 2016 01:20 PM

MANILA - Senator and vice-presidential candidate Antonio Trillanes on Tuesday said PDP Laban standard bearer Rodrigo Duterte is bent on setting up a revolutionary government with the help of Jose Maria Sison, founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

"Ang ka-partner niya po ay mga komunista, sina Joma Sison. Mayroon na po silang agreement...Talagang disipulo pala ito ni Joma Sison at ito ay hindi niya po ito maitatanggi. Iyung ibubunyag ko po ay ito na ang mas mabigat. Hindi lang ito pagkaperahan kundi talagang threat to democracy," Trillanes said in a radio DZMM interview.

Trillanes, a retired Navy officer who spent years in jail for leading a mutiny during the Arroyo administration, said Duterte has serious plans of quelling democracy if he wins the presidency.

"Sinasabi niyang, 'Ito ang gagawin natin... Kung gusto niyo ako talaga, ito ang gagawin ko a. Magre-revolutionary government ako, papatay ako ng mga tao,'" he said.

Presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte and Jose Maria Sison. (Composite File Photo)

Sison earlier said a ceasefire between communist rebels and government is possible if Duterte wins the presidency. He said Duterte is a former Kabataang Makabayan (KM) member, a radical student movement set up in 1964.

The CPP leader, who has been in exile in The Netherlands since 1987, also said returning home is an option under a Duterte administration.

Joma Sison eyes ceasefire, return to PH if Duterte wins

Duterte has confirmed that he is in talks with Sison to discuss initial plans for inclusive governance. He said Congress will determine the parameters of such an agreement but everyone will be included in the discussions, especially the Armed Forces.

He has also clarified his statement that he would establish revolutionary government, saying he only meant instituting reforms in government agencies, particularly the bureaus of Customs and Internal Revenue.

In another occasion, however, he also threatened to shut down Congress if he would face impeachment attempts as president.

WHAT IS A REVOLUTIONARY GOV'T?

Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, dean of San Beda Graduate Law of School, defined a revolutionary government as "the rule of one person or group that sees to it that order is restored without necessarily complying with all the processes and safeguards established by law."

Aquino said giving all governmental authority to a president or a single group could lead to the abolition of institutions that hamper their plans, removing the necessary checks and balances in government.

The dean said a President is not mandated to implement his personal vision alone but the collective vision of all elected officials.

"Kailangan na ang isang leader na mahalal ay may kakayahan siyang ipag-ugnay ang lahat ng vision, lahat ng plano ng nahalal na opisyal natin at ipatupad niya iyun -- hindi lang iyung plano niya, kundi rin ng mga mambabatas. Together, they can implement a vision of government," Aquino said.

The law dean also said the only legal way of championing a revolutionary government is mustering sufficient legislative support to cause an amendment to the Constitution.

The Constitution may be amended through a Constitutional Convention, similar to when delegates from every congressional district revised the 1973 Constitution. Constitutional amendments may also be made through a people's initiative, or by Congress itself through a constituent assembly.

But, Aquino said Filipinos should not readily support a revolutionary government through Constitutional amendment just out of dissatisfaction with the supposed ineptitude and disorder in our democracy.

He reminded the public that democracy and the Constitution enshrine the basic rights of everyone.

"Huwag nating kalimutan na iyang Saligang-Batas na iyan, diyan din nakalahad ang lahat ng karapatan natin na araw-araw nating pinagsasandalan," the priest said.

"Kung sasabihin mong, 'Ayaw na namin ng Saligang-Batas basta mayroong isang malakas na determinadong leader,' ang sinasabi mo ay sawa ka ba sa mga karapatang nakalahad sa mismong Saligang-Batas na gusto mo ring buwagin?"

He also warned that a revolutionary government does not offer a clear means to ascertain that leaders are not abusing their power or ordering the death of innocent people for the sake of "progress."

DUTERTE 'MILLIONS'

Vice Presidential candidate Sen. Sonny Trillanes IV arrives at the BPI-Julia Vargas branch in Pasig City on Monday. Mike Alquinto, NPPA

Aside from the latest allegation that Duterte is preparing for a revolutionary government, the mayor is also accused of maintaining 17 bank accounts that had P2.407 billion in total transactions, from 2006 to 2015.

Trillanes said Duterte's account at the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Julia Vargas branch alone contained over P200 million in 2014.

On Monday, Trillanes and Atty. Sal Panelo, Duterte's lawyer, met at BPI Julia Vargas in a bid to settle the allegations.

Complying with the demand of the Duterte camp, Trillanes said he gave Panelo an affidavit identifying the source of his accusations as a certain "Joseph de Mesa."

But Trillanes said Panelo only presented a special power of attorney (SPA) from Duterte, which does not divulge the entire banking history of the mayor.

LOOK: Duterte's special power of attorney presented to BPI

In his SPA, Duterte requested BPI to issue certificates for his current balance, as well as to certify that "at no time since the opening of the aforesaid Bank Account was there a deposit either singly or collectively of Two Hundred Eleven Million Pesos (211,000,000.00)."

The SPA does not specifically request for full and detailed transaction records.

Meanwhile, the Duterte camp described Trillanes' informant as "non-existent" and the information on the accounts as double hearsay.

READ: Duterte camp won't reveal BPI account transactions for now

In Tuesday's dzMM interview, the senator said the Duterte camp is using delaying tactics by questioning the credibility of the supposed informant.

He said if Duterte really has nothing to hide, then he could have immediately ended the controversy by opening his entire banking history to scrutiny.

"Ang gusto niyang mangyari rito, makalusot siya, malilinlang niya iyung tao hanggang sa maging Presidente na siya. Kapag Presidente na siya, makapangyarihan na, hindi na pwedeng habulin," he said.

"Tapos sabi niya kapag raw inimpeach siya, magre-revolutionary government siya. Diyan na ngayon magkaka-alaman."