Anti-dynasty group to question candidacies of Cayetano, Pimentel

A party-list group is considering filing a legal case against senatorial candidates it believes guilty of perpetuating a political dynasty, which is prohibited by the Constitution.

The group, Alyansa Laban sa Dynastiya (ALADYN), said it was studying how it could legally question the senatorial bids of Aquilino Pimentel III, Alan Peter Cayetano and Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III of the Genuine Opposition along with Team Unity’s Teresa Aquino-Oreta and derail their candidacies.

Pimentel – whose father, Aquilino Jr., is an incumbent senator – vowed to work for the passage of an anti-political dynasty measure once he is elected senator.

"I will file it on the first day of the regular session. As of today, there is no law in the Philippines that defines or prohibits political dynasty," he said in a statement.

Pimentel, who is running under the Genuine Opposition senatorial ticket, said his anti-dynasty bill should start from the position of the president – who remains the most powerful figure in the country with billions of pesos at his or her disposal in discretionary, intelligence, social, calamity and other special funds.

"Like this election, President Arroyo is depriving services to millions of Filipinos by withholding project funds of opposition candidates. Simply put, she is punishing the Filipino people by such (an) action," he said.

He said Mrs. Arroyo and her family are the most guilty of violating the spirit of the anti-dynasty provision of the Constitution.

Pimentel said Mrs. Arroyo’s son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, is running for re-election while another son, Dato, is seeking the congressional seat in Camarines Sur. Mrs. Arroyo’s brother-in-law, Ignacio Arroyo, ran and won as congressman in Negros Occidental.

Pimentel challenged ALADYN and Samahan sa Bagong Politika (Sambapol) to include the Arroyo family in their political ads as a prime example of the perpetuation of power. Both groups have released paid ads in major dailies criticizing him and Cayetano for running in the senatorial elections.

Pimentel urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate ALADYN and Sambapol, which he suspects are being bankrolled by Malacañang.

In a letter to Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos, Pimentel said ALADYN and Sambapol are not qualified party-list organizations under Comelec Resolution 7819 and therefore are violating the poll body’s rules by conducting "a massive multimillion peso negative campaign" against him and other opposition candidates.

"I therefore urge this Commission to order an immediate stop to this negative campaign," Pimentel said.

ALADYN’s legal counsel, Ruby Bruno, said the candidates themselves should have realized that the country does not deserve to have people from the same families in one small body like the Senate.

Cayetano’s sister, Pia, is an incumbent senator, while Oreta is Aquino’s aunt.

Bruno, said on ANC’s Crossroads that "no other law is greater than the Constitution and we do not need to wait for a new one to fight against political dynasty. It will be hard for politicians to pass one because of their vested interest."

Filipinos should not allow a few families to rule and direct the course of the country’s history, she said, adding that ALADYN will launch a more extensive education campaign to enlighten the people on political dynasties.

Asked about Pimentel’s allegations that Malacañang was behind their group, Bruno said Pimentel’s claims are not true and that they are just fighting for what is right.

Bruno said the group will not exist only for the coming May elections but for "as long as the people are passionate in what we are doing."

She said their group is composed of professionals, businessmen and representatives of various sectors.

Bruno said she would reserve comment on the legal steps their group could take to oppose moves to perpetuate political dynasties.

In the same ANC program, Sen. Alfredo Lim, author of the bill against political dynasty, said "people should be aroused for what is good for the country."

Lim said all Filipinos must be given equal opportunities to serve the people. Another guest in the show, Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, agreed, saying "let us give a chance to others." Padaca beat the Dy family, whose members have been accused of building a political dynasty in her province.