Majority of senators back anti-political dynasty bill

MANILA, Philippines — Majority of senators approved the proposal to prohibit immediate and extended relatives from running for public office to succeed an incumbent relative in the same area.

 

On Wednesday evening, 13 senators signed Senate Bill 1765, which is a consolidated bill banning political dynasties.

 

Among the senators who approved the bill were Sens. Sonny Angara, Bam Aquino, Nancy Binay, Leila de Lima, Franklin Drilon, JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Loren Legarda, Francis Pangilinan, Grace Poe and Ralph Recto.

 

The proposed measure limits the prohibition to second degree of consanguinity and 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.

 

Pangilinan and De Lima drafted the committee report of the Senate electoral reforms committee after holding separate hearings. Pangilinan heads the Senate's constitutional amendments committee while De Lima chairs the electoral reforms committee.

 

In a February 15 hearing, resource persons from the academe listed the reasons for banning political dynasties such as the prohibition of the Constitution on political dynasties.

 

"Political dynasties don't allow others to serve as the way of picking leaders is biased toward political dynasties. Younger, more able leaders are kept from joining politics due to political dynasties," a release from the office of Pangilinan read.

 

President Rodrigo Duterte had expressed his support for the proposal to abolish political dynasties but said that he doubts if the public would agree with it.

 

"A few of the principled men, I would say, want this kind of thing about dynasty is abolished. I am for it," Duterte said on Tuesday.

 

The president also cast doubts if the proposal would pass through Congress.