Manila, Oct 14 (AFP) Philippine President Rodrigo Dutertehas warned he is prepared to establish a "revolutionarygovernment" to fend off alleged efforts to oust him, fuellingfears of a looming dictatorship.
He issued the warning on state television late yesterdayas he railed against the press, European lawmakers and othercritics of his drug war that has left thousands dead and ledrights groups to warn of a crime against humanity.
Duterte said he would resort to a revolutionarygovernment, as opposed to martial law that would requirecongressional approval, if communists and other opponentstried to destabilise his rule.
"If your destabilisation is taking place and there ischaos already, I will not hesitate to declare a revolutionarygovernment until the end of my term and I will arrest all ofyou and we can go to a full scale war against the reds,"Duterte said, in reference to communist rebels who have wageda nearly 50-year insurgency.
Duterte cited the precedent set by Corazon Aquino, whoestablished a revolutionary government soon after leading a"People Power" uprising in 1986 that ended the dictatorship ofFerdinand Marcos.
Aquino sacked all elected officials, abolished Congressand tore up the 1973 constitution in favour of a provisionalcharter.
She handpicked a commission to write a new constitution,which was ratified by plebiscite in 1987 and paved the way forelections. She is revered by many Filipinos who continue tosee her as a heroine of democracy.
Under the post-Aquino constitution, presidents arelimited to a single term of six years.
Duterte's critics fear the 72-year-old, who hasrepeatedly threatened to impose martial law, is intent ondragging the country back into dictatorship and allow himselfmore freedom in prosecuting his drug war.
Duterte was elected last year largely on an incendiarylaw-and-order platform in which he promised to eradicateillegal drugs in society by killing 100,000 people.
Since he took office 15 months ago, police have reportedkilling 3,850 people in anti-drug operations while thousandsof others have been murdered in unexplained circumstances.
Many Filipinos continue to support Duterte, seeing thecharismatic politician as a saviour fighting corruption andcrime.
But opposition has started to build, with the influentialCatholic Church and leftist groups taking a prominent role inspeaking out against his drug war.
Rare street protests broke out last month after policeinvolved in the drug war killed two teenagers in controversialcircumstances.
The Philippine military, which backed Marcos until thelast days of his dictatorship, did not respond to AFP'srequest for comment on Duterte's warning. (AFP)CPS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.