Stricter election rules needed

The Philippine political pot is starting to simmer and soon it will reach boiling point. The Philippine STAR is doing very well in keeping the people abreast with the political activities.

As the current political campaign goes on, it is now very clear that the Philippines needs now more than ever, new and stricter rules to govern elections in general and political campaigns in particular. For instance, the constitutional provisions on anti-political dynasty and equal opportunity to other citizens to get elected have not been achieved.

Having worked for 24 years in the House of Representatives’ Committee Affairs Bureau, the legislative office that processes and programs the deliberations on bills up to their enactment into law, I observed that since the 8th Congress, after the EDSA I People Power, there are political families that control certain elective positions in many provinces, until the present 17th Congress.

The Philippine Government Directory of Agencies and Officials, published by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), as well as the Directories of Members of the House of Representatives, from the 12th until the 17th Congresses, showed that elective officials continued to run for reelection until their term limit as set by the Constitution and they field close relatives – the spouse, or son or daughter, or sibling – thus perpetuating themselves in power. The incumbent official whose term limit has been reached will run for another position in the area – thus establishing political dynasty. In certain provinces, the list of elective government officials read like a family tree.

What should we do?

Worth considering are the following suggestions:

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) should post in public places the list of candidates for their respective positions, in addition to the common areas for political ads.

Comelec should ban or prohibit incumbent elective officials from posting or displaying posters or placards for Christmas greetings, or graduation greetings, fiesta greetings before campaign period.

Election incumbents should be banned from hosting TV programs that are not related to their election positions.

Revive the Senate Resolution filed by then Sen. Rene Saguisag in 1987, prohibiting Congress members from exercising their profession, while they are members of Congress.

Amend the 1987 Constitution by prohibiting relatives by consanguinity and affinity within the fourth civil degree, of incumbent elective officials whose terms limit is to be reached, from running:

• for the position to be vacated by the incumbent elective official;

• within the same government unit, during the incumbency of the elective government official, in order to prevent conflict of interest.

• Penalize vote-buying heavily, by imprisonment and disqualification of the official proven to have engage in vote-buying. – Atty. Mafeo R. Vibal, Vice President – External Affairs and Legislative Liaison Office, Philippine Association of Retired Persons