House to tackle anti-political dynasty bill

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives, many of whose members belong to well-entrenched political families, will soon tackle a bill that seeks to carry out a provision of the Constitution banning political dynasties.

Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said yesterday the anti-dynasty bill is part of the House agenda for the remainder of the second regular session of Congress, which ends in June.

“We have only a few items in our agenda for our session, which resumes on Monday. Two of these are the anti-political dynasty bill and the measure on the interface between technical-vocational training and higher education,” Gonzales said.

He said he did not know when the proposed law banning members of political families from occupying several elective posts at the same time or from succeeding each other would be taken up.

“Admittedly, it’s a controversial measure. I am sure many of our colleagues would oppose it,” he said.

The committee on suffrage and electoral reform has endorsed the anti-dynasty bill.

It provides that “no spouse, or person related within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half-blood, to an incumbent elective official seeking re-election shall be allowed to hold or run for any local or national elective office in the same election.”

Other proposals would prohibit members of a political family from seeking any elective office as long as one member is an incumbent elective official.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has expressed elation over the approval of the anti-dynasty bill by the suffrage and electoral reform committee.

“We have advanced to a point where we have never advanced before. I think that is already a positive achievement,” he said.

“I think we ought to be very happy that it has passed the committee. It has never done that in 15 years. Remember that it is provided for in the Constitution of 1987, and that’s a long time ago. I’m in favor of it,” he said.

However, he predicted that the measure would have a hard time getting plenary approval.

“I believe it will experience rough sailing. Even I, at my level, cannot predict how it will go,” he said.