PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte denied Tuesday that he was eyeing to set up a revolutionary government to extend his term beyond the six-year limit.
Duterte earlier earned criticisms following his threat to declare revolutionary government if his critics spawn chaos amid their supposed plans to thwart the current administration's progress.
"Nobody is interested here in this government, me especially, to go beyond my term. I do not intend to perpetuate myself. I will not shame my family for any ambition in this world," the President said before the participants of federalism summit in Pili, Camarines Sur.
The 1987 Constitution restricts a sitting president to serving a single term of six years.
"They're saying I want revolutionary government because I want to extend power. Son of a… If only I could back out. But it's a shame to do that," he added.
In an interview aired on government-run PTV4 on October 13, Duterte warned of setting up a revolutionary state under his watch, if the country suffers from chaos because of the alleged destabilization efforts against him.
The President, in August, likewise said that a revolutionary regime could "resolve hindrances to progress."
Duterte's latest pronouncement has earned insinuations that he was merely seeking to enjoy his power as the highest official in the land.
Cause-oriented group Tindig Pilipinas on Saturday hit Duterte for threatening to set up a revolutionary government.
The group said the President seemed to have become a "paranoid and insecure little man" as he fears that he may be removed from office.
"President Duterte is losing his grip. Only a paranoid and insecure little man afraid of losing power will rationalize the need to impose a revolutionary government upon the people," Tindig Pilipinas said.
A militant coalition Movement Against Tyranny also believed Duterte "merely wants to concentrate all governmental power to himself as president" following his remark.
Duterte, however, maintained that he was not after power, citing the bulk of workload a president has to deal with in his daily grind.
"As I said, if you ask me if I'm happy, I am not because of the sheer volume of work and the pressure and everything," the President said.
"This revolutionary [government], who wants to impose such setup? We are a democracy. We’re not supposed to be… You’re like a ruler there [under a revolutionary state]," he added. (SunStar Philippines)