MANILA -- President Rodrigo R. Duterte was just expressing his frustration when he “threatened” to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus and declare a 'revolutionary war', Malacañang said on Monday.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo clarified that if the President’s statement on April 4 came across as a “threat”, it was a threat only meant for those who continued to violate the law.
“The President's narrative on the revolutionary war is an expression of frustration and at the same time to put the transgressors of the law and the purveyors of the status quo on notice that he will not sit idly and watch their transgressions unabated and that he will exercise powers the Constitution bestowed him,” Panelo said in a statement.
“The threat, if it is a threat, is not against the people but precisely against their enemies, the criminals, the people manning the illegal drug industry, the corrupt bureaucrats, the greedy politicians, the communist rebels, foreign and local terrorists, and other enemies of the state,” he added.
Panelo rejected critics’ claims that the President was threatening people “on a whim” noting that it was brought about by a series of acts committed against the people.
He said the President was particularly frustrated by the continuous entry of illegal drugs in the country, the corruption in the bureaucracy, and the impunity of criminals.
The onerous contract entered into by the government, attacks of New People’s Army (NPA) and ambushes of military and Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel, the continuing threat of terrorists are also other problems that frustrated the President, he said.
“Maybe that was only a trigger among the series of problems that confronted him,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
Panelo, meanwhile, made assurances that the President was trying to address these problems within the bounds of the Constitution.
“This constitutional command is for the President, as head of government, to serve and protect the people,” Panelo said.
“It becomes the constitutional duty of the President to use the powers reposed to him by the Constitution to quell the attacks on the people and to save the state,” he added.
Last Thursday, Duterte threatened to lift the writ of habeas corpus and declare a 'revolutionary war' if he would be pushed to the wall.
“I will declare a revolutionary war until the end of my term. Come what may hell or otherwise,” Duterte said in his speech in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
In the same speech, Duterte also criticized Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon for warning him against canceling government contracts deemed onerous.
“I ordered the review of the contracts. And here comes Drilon saying that ‘be careful; Be careful of what? Be careful of what? Why should I be very careful in reviewing contracts that are not for the interest of the people? And the onerous and burden provisions there that the people have to honor. So? You think that I will allow it just because we cannot impair the obligation of our contracts?” Duterte said.
On April 2, Duterte called for a review of all government contracts with private firms and foreign companies to determine if there were “onerous provisions” that would put the country in the disadvantage.
His call to review came after he learned that the government had to pay at least PHP3.4 billion to water concessionaire Maynilad after losing an arbitration case in 2018.
Maynilad won over the government at the High Court of Singapore for revenue losses in relation to the unimplemented water tariff hike. The Philippine government opted not to appeal the decision. (PNA)
