President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD) recently threatened to declare a revolutionary government should the crisis in Marawi City continue and spread throughout Mindanao, the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDF) further intensify their tactical offensives nationwide, and outrage against the administration’s war on drugs continues to draw more sympathy.
The threat has elicited nearly 50-50 in support and opposition to strong-man rule.
A revolutionary government assumes the government is at war with itself, resulting in the institutions and powers supporting the existing government being clipped. Additionally, it is also at war with certain forces outside the state that hold considerable influence over domestic affairs.
A revolutionary government is therefore established to remove or abolish all that obstruct or push back on the goals of the ruling official.
If we take into account the basis for his proposed declaration, then PRRD missed the target and will not be bringing the positive change that the public voted for. He will only fuel massive public outrage and civil war. It is a strategy that easily falls into the trap of the right wing and militarists in his administration, who wish to follow in the failures and demise of past administration, from Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos, and Joseph Estrada; to Benigno S. Aquino III.
If PRRD uses a revolutionary government as a shortcut in response to an impatient public demanding rapid and substantive changes, like ridding the bureaucracy of corrupt, rogue, and “narco-officials;” prioritizing domestic job creation; improving the delivery of services; implementing a tax system that favors the poor; rooting out the deeper causes of illegal drug use; instituting a federal form of government – then, I don’t see how most would not support him.
However, in order to allay fears he is not trying to establish an autocratic regime or giving in to the right wing officials and militarists in his cabinet, he must publically put forward his intentions; explain the difficulties encountered with the current climate; and call on a wide spectrum of “democratic forces,” along with allies in Congress.
If he can layout such an agenda and still encounters difficulties, then the public would appreciate a revolutionary option.
The current problem with such a proposal is the president has not provided complementing positive moves; and worse, an appearance of tolerating oligarchs, along with the mini-autocrats and dictators in his cabinet, as they run around the president and offer contradictory views. With these types of individuals occupying such positions, they could easily manipulate and utilize enormous autocratic powers to advance their personal oligarchic interests
The impatience and anger expressed by the public for rapid reforms and change are only productive and constructive if taken seriously by the state. It must also be given the correct response and direction by, no less than, PRRD himself; without it, his revolution government will only result in more division, chaos, and violence.
A genuine revolutionary government must serve the people. It is for the people, by the people, and with the people – anything short is mere reactionary, not revolutionary.
Mao Zedong was right in asserting a revolution is not a dinner party or a picnic, it is a violent overthrow of the ruling system, led by a revolutionary party and determined by organized masses.
“Democratic forces” on the ground should be careful of what they wish for and not just blindly follow what happens from above; or give in the clamor of the backwards sectors of society. In the least, they should be prepared for any eventuality because the conditions in our country remain highly volatile and complex./WDJ