Sen. Robin Files Anti-Political Dynasty Bill
July 15, 2024
Sen. Robin Files Anti-Political Dynasty Bill
Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla on Monday filed an anti-political bill that seeks to finally fulfill the 1987 Constitution's mandate to prohibit political dynasties.
In filing Senate Bill 2730, Padilla said it is time to break the barriers that prevent the best and the brightest from serving the Filipino people.
"Given that this measure complies with the legislature's mandate to enact an anti-political dynasty law and is a step towards leveling the playing field in politics and governance, the passage thereof is earnestly sought," he said.
Padilla, who chairs the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, cited a Harvard Academy research study in 2011 that showed how political dynasties stem from the tendency of elites to "persist and reproduce their power over time, undermining the effectiveness of institutional reforms in the process."
Also, he said a dataset of Philippine local elections from 1988 to 2019 showed the number of governors with at least one relative in office (dynasty) increased by almost 39 percentage points, from 41% in 1988 to 80% in 2019. The dynasty proportion of vice governors rose from 18% in 1988 to 68% in 2019.
The percentage of mayors in the dynasty increased gradually from 26% in 1988 to 53% in 2019.
Yet another study by Tusalem and Pe-Aguirre in 2013 noted that congressional funds are higher in areas with more political dynasties, but these provinces also have higher rates of crime and poor governance, as well as lower spending on employment, infrastructure, and health care.
"Political dynasties, in effect, have exhausted resources to attain economic and political dominance while at the same time compromising political competition and undermining accountability," Padilla said.
"It is time to break the barriers preventing the best and the brightest from serving the Filipino people," he added.
Under the bill, "No spouse or person related within the fourth 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 elective office in the same city and/or province, or any party list in the same election."
If the constituency of the incumbent elective official is national in character, such relatives shall be disqualified from running only within the same province where the former is domiciled or in any, including the same, national position.
"(N)o person who has a political dynasty relationship to the incumbent shall immediately succeed to the position of the latter," the bill said.
The bill requires any person running for any elective public office to file a sworn statement with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that he or she does not have a political dynasty relationship with any incumbent public official running for an elective public office in the same city and/or province other than the position earlier mentioned.
A petition to disqualify a candidate on grounds of political dynasty may be filed before the Comelec, which will conduct summary proceedings. The Comelec shall deny due course to any certificate of candidacy filed in violation of the anti-political dynasty act.
While the votes for a respondent shall be counted if the Comelec cannot decide on the petition before the completion of the canvass, his or her proclamation shall be suspended if the basis for disqualification is strong. If the disqualified candidate has been proclaimed, the candidate shall ipso facto forfeit the right to assume the office.
Sen. Robin Naghain ng Anti-Political Dynasty Bill
Naghain nitong Lunes si Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla ng anti-political bill na tutugon sa mandato ng 1987 Constitution para pigilan ang pagkakaroon ng political dynasties.
Sa paghain ng Senate Bill 2730, iginiit ni Padilla na panahon nang wasakin ang mga balakid na pumipigil sa pinakamahusay na Pilipino na manilbihan sa pamahalaan.
"Given that this measure complies with the legislature's mandate to enact an anti-political dynasty law and is a step towards leveling the playing field in politics and governance, the passage thereof is earnestly sought," aniya.
Ani Padilla, na tagapangulo ng Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, may Harvard Academy research study noong 2011 kung saan ang ugat ng political dynasties ay ang pagnanais ng mga "elite" na manatili sa pwesto, kahit na mapipigilan ang tunay na reporma.
Dagdag niya, may datos na nagpapakita na sa mga lokal na eleksyon sa Pilipinas mula 1988 hanggang 2019, dumami ang gobernador na may kamaganak sa pwesto (mula 41% noong 1988 sa 80% sa 2019) at vice governors (mula 18% noong 1988 sa 68% sa 2019).
Ganoon din ang pagdami ng alkalde sa dynasty mula 26% noong 1988 sa 53% sa 2019.
Base naman sa pag-aaral ni Tusalem at Pe-Aguirre noong 2013, bagama't mas maramiang congressional funds sa lugar na may maraming political dynasties, mas mataas ang krimen at mas mababa ang paggastos para sa employment, infrastructure, at health care.
"Political dynasties, in effect, have exhausted resources to attain economic and political dominance while at the same time compromising political competition and undermining accountability," ani Padilla.
"It is time to break the barriers preventing the best and the brightest from serving the Filipino people," dagdag niya.
Sa panukalang batas, "No spouse or person related within the fourth 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 elective office in the same city and/or province, or any party list in the same election."
Kung ang constituency ng nakaupong opisyal ay "national in character," bawal tumakbo ang mga kamaganak sa parehong probinsya kung saan "domiciled" ang nasabing incumbent.
"(N)o person who has a political dynasty relationship to the incumbent shall immediately succeed to the position of the latter," ayon sa panukalang batas.
Ayon din sa panukalang batas, ang sinumang tatakbo sa eleksyon ay dapat maghain ng sinumpaang salaysay sa Commission on Elections (Comelec) na wala siyang political dynasty relationship sa sinumang nakaupong opisyal sa parehong siyudad o probinsya.
Didinggin din ng Comelec ang petisyon para ma-disqualify ang kandidato dahil sa political dynasty. Maaaring balewalain ng Comelec ang certificate of candidacy na lalabag sa anti-political dynasty act.
Bagama't ang mga boto para sa isang respondent ay bibilangin kung hindi maresolba agad ng Comelec ang petisyon, maaaring suspindihin ang prokalamasyon kung malakas ang basehan ng pag-diskwalipika. Kung ang nadiskwalipikang kandidato ay naproklama na, "ipso facto" na mawawala sa kanya ang karapatang umupo sa pwesto.
