Bill banning political dynasties filed

MANILA, Philippines - A Metro Manila congresswoman has filed a bill that would carry out the mandate of the Constitution banning political dynasties.

Rep. Mary Mitzi Cajayon of Caloocan, where several members of the Echiverri and Asistio political families are running in next year’s elections, introduced Bill 6660.

She said since the ratification of the 1987 Constitution more than two decades ago, Congress has not passed a law carrying out its mandate against political dynasties.

She said the Charter declares, as a matter of principle and policy, that the state “shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”

 “This constitutional imperative is significant as the perpetuation of political dynasties can undermine the quality of democracy and economic development. This grotesque political phenomenon in the country has in fact engendered inequality which tends to further the vicious cycle of poverty of our people,” Cajayon said.

The bill defines a political dynasty as the “concentration, consolidation or perpetuation of public office and political power by persons related to one another.”

It provides that no spouse or person related within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, to an incumbent elective official would be allowed to hold or run for any elective office in the same province, city or town in the same election.

In case such incumbent elective official is the President or Vice President, his relatives within the prohibited degree would be disqualified from running in any elective office.

In case the incumbent elective official is a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives or a local official, the bill provides that his relatives be banned from running in any national elective office and any local elective office within the same local government unit where the former is a registered voter.

In case of party-list system, the banned relatives cannot be nominated by any party-list organization.

In case none of the candidates is related to an incumbent elective official within the prohibited degree but are related to one another within such degree, they, including their spouses, would be disqualified from holding or running simultaneously for any national or local elective office within the same local government unit in the same election.

In all cases, no person within the prohibited degree of relationship to the incumbent would be allowed to simultaneously serve with or immediately succeed to the position of the latter.

This particular prohibition would not apply to barangay officers.