AFTER nearly 30 years, the Constitution’s prohibition against political dynasties may finally be fulfilled if a bill filed by Senator Panfilo Lacson is approved.
Lacson said Senate Bill 49 seeks to implement the 1987 Constitution’s provision to give all Filipinos equal access to opportunities in the public service by thwarting political dynasties.
“While the State recognizes the pernicious effects of political dynasties, there is still no enabling law to prohibit its existence in the political arena,” Lacson said.
“Influential clans and families that are well-entrenched in the political arena have made positions in government their virtual playgrounds, resulting in the proliferation of small monarchies all over the country.”
Lacson said despite many attempts to produce a law against political dynasties as early as the 8th Congress, such has not happened.
He said his bill seeks to prohibit the spouse or person related within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity to an incumbent elective official seeking reelection to hold or run for any elective office in the same city and/or province in the same election.
It also bars two or more people who have a political dynasty relationship from running simultaneously for an elective office within the same city and/or province, even if neither is so related to the incumbent public official.
But if the constituency of the incumbent elective official is national in character, “the above relatives shall be disqualified from running only within the same province where the former is a registered voter.”
And in cases where none of the candidates is related to an incumbent elective official within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, but are related to one another within the said prohibited degree, they, including their spouses, shall be disqualified from holding or running for any local elective office within the same city and/or province in the same election.
The bill also specifies that no person who has a political dynasty relationship to the incumbent shall immediately succeed to the position of the latter, except in the cases of Punong Barangays or members of the Sangguniang Barangay.
It requires those running for any elective public office except barangay official to file a sworn statement with the Commission on Elections 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.