BMP Press Release
November 30, 2017
The socialist labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) criticized pro-Duterte groups who planned to mobilize today, November 30 to call for a “revolutionary government” that would change the Constitution in favor of federalism and opening up the local economy to compete foreign ownership.
BMP president Leody de Guzman said, “It is the height of poetic injustice that pro-Duterte groups would commemorate Bonifacio Day by going against ideals that the plebeian hero fought and died for. He would be turning in his grave for such antics that would ultimately serve the interests of foreign monopolies, warlords and political dynasties, and the lust for wealth and power of the pro-Duterte clique of the ruling elite”.
Charter Change for foreign monopolies
De Guzman added, “The clamor for Chacha by certain factions of the ruling classes has always existed since the Ramos administration. They favor the dismantling the protectionist provisions to fully liberalize the economy in order to entice foreign investments.
This means the recolonization of our country not through bullets and cannons but through capital and commodities. These business interests now hide behind the cloak of federalism but they know all to well that Duterte’s Cha-cha would not limit itself to changing political provisions of the 1987 Constitution”.
Federalism for warlords and political dynasties
The labor leader explained, “Pro-duterte rev-group adherents say that by decentralizing the national government into federal states, taxes and public funds collected from the countryside would be benefit the rural poor. This argument is a sham. We know all too well that each province and region are controlled by warlords and political dynasties that rule over their territories with iron gloves without an iota of respect for due processes of law.
They are the Singsons and the Marcoses, the Enriles and the Dys, the Arroyos and Pinedas, the Duranos and Osmenas, the Dutertes and the Ampatuans, etc. Federalism means a decentralized Philippines under warlords and political dynasties”.
RevGov is still elite rule, through fascism not liberal demoracy
“A truly revolutionary government means genuine social transformation by dismantling the long-standing rule of the elite. The pro-Duterte “RevGov” is its complete opposite. How can we believe that the people are indeed calling on Duterte to lead a revolutionary government, when these assemblies are organized by the same elite – governors, mayors, representatives of congress, and trapos, who benefit from the present rotting and unjust social order?
They exploit the desperation of the impoverished majority. They offer positions to lowly barangay officials, aside from free food and allowances to the hungry masses, for their attendance to these pro-RevGov rallies. Duterte’s revolution is a poor copy of the Marcosian ‘revolution from the center’, which ended up in fascism and tyranny,” de Guzman asserted.
Not in defense of 1987 Constitution
Meanwhile, the BMP clarified that its position against the pro-Duterte Rev-Gov is not tantamount to a mere defense of the 1987 Constitution. “There are groups that call for the defense of the 1987 Constitution but want to create an Edsa Dos scenario with Robredo assuming the presidency via constitutional succession.
The existing charter is not only teeming with defects. It is inherently defective. It fosters the illusion of equal rights of separate individuals. It does not hold the primacy of the rights and interests of the whole over individuals, of the right to decent lives over property rights, the welfare of the toiling majority over the privileged elite. It is the unity and struggle of the Filipino people, led by the working class, not the elitist “RevGov” – that will change the Charter in accordance to the democratic and just ideals of Andres Bonifacio. #
