MANILA – The consolidated bill banning political dynasties is now ready for plenary debate in the Senate. Thirteen senators approved Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1765, under Committee Report No. 367 of the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation and the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes.
Those who signed measure were Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate
Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and senators Juan Edgardo Angara, Paolo Benigno Aquino, Nancy Binay, Leila de Lima, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, Panfilo Lacson, Francis Pangilinan, and Grace Poe.
Under SBN 1765 or the Anti-Political Dynasty Act of 2018, political dynasty is the “concentration, consolidation, and/or perpetuation of public office and political powers by persons related to one another within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity.”
This covers spouses (legal and common-law), siblings (full or half-blood), parents, and children (legitimate, illegitimate, and adopted) and the spouses of these second-degree relatives.
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and senators Ejercito and Poe were confident the Upper House can pass the anti-political dynasty law.
“We can pass that in the Senate. We will also incorporate a self executing anti-political dynasty provision in the new Constitution,” said Pimentel.
Poe added, “In the Senate I think it will.”
Ejercito, however, could not say the same for the House of Representatives.
The proposal, he added, would “most likely” get moving there if President Rodrigo Duterte pushes for its approval.
Duterte earlier said he supports the abolition of political dynasties, but expresses concern over its passage in Congress.
Recto echoes the President’s sentiment.
“I agree with the President. It will be difficult to pass an anti dynasty bill,” the senate leader said, adding that it should be “acceptable” to the House and the Palace.
Angara remains optimistic about the bill’s passage since it has “made a lot of progress” compared to previous Congresses.
“But I am sure there will be a lot of debate on how the law will operate in given situations,” according to him.
The senator specifically wanted to know the mechanism for choosing who can run from among the relatives when there are no incumbent family members in office.
Aquino said it’s time the country introduce anti-dynasty regulations, especially that the administration has been pushing for a shift to a federal form of government.
“Lahat ng eksperto ay nagsasabi na hindi magtatagumpay ang federalismo kung hindi maipapasa ang panukalang ito,” said Aquino.
He added: “Kaya’t kung seryoso ang mga proponents ng federalismo dito, kailangan itaguyod rin nila ang batas na nagbabawal sa mga dinastiya.”
Meanwhile, Sotto said an anti-political dynasty bill would be “unfair” to legitimate family members.
“A wife or anyone in the second degree of consanguinity may not run for public office but mistresses and their relatives may?” he asked.
SBN 1765 prohibits any person with political dynasty relationship with any incumbent elective official from running for or holding public office under the following circumstances:
* to immediately succeed or replace the said incumbent
* if the incumbent is an elective barangay official, the spouse and the above relatives are prohibited to run simultaneously for any position in the same barangay as well as in the barangays in municipalities or cities within the same legislative district
* if the incumbent is an elective official of the municipality or city, legislative district or province, the spouse and above relatives are prohibited to run for or hold any elective office simultaneously with the incumbent within the same barangay, municipality, city, legislative district or province
* if the incumbent is a national elective official, the spouse and the above relatives are likewise prohibited to run simultaneously for any position in the national or local level as barangay captain, mayor, governor or district representative in any part of the country; and,
* if the incumbent is a barangay captain/mayor/governor or district representative, the spouse and the above relatives are also prohibited to run simultaneously for any position in the national level./PN
