BAYAN Panay says Senate anti-dynasty bill falls short

Progressive alliance BAYAN Panay has criticized Senate Bill 1901, saying the measure falls short of the people’s demand for a strong law banning political dynasties in the Philippines.

Senate Bill 1901, the output of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation consolidating the anti-political dynasty bills in the chamber, limits the definition of relatives to those within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half-blood, as stated in Section 3(i) of the bill.

Section 4 of the bill defines political dynasty relationships as existing only when spouses or two or more relatives hold simultaneous or overlapping terms in national elective offices; when spouses or two or more relatives hold simultaneous terms in local elective offices within the same legislative district, province, city, or municipality, including situations where they occupy local elective offices in separate municipalities, highly urbanized cities, or component cities within the same province or legislative districts within the same local government unit; when spouses or two or more relatives hold simultaneous terms within and across party-lists; when spouses or two or more relatives hold simultaneous or overlapping terms under the party-list system and any national or local elective office; or when a spouse or relative of an incumbent elective official immediately succeeds the latter’s office.

BAYAN Panay argued that with such articulation, the bill allows relatives up to the second degree to occupy one national position and one local position in a province or separately located highly urbanized city. The bill also poses no constraints for relatives beyond the second degree.

The group cited specific examples to illustrate what it called the bill’s shortcomings. Had the bill been effective in prior elections, Sara Duterte could still have served as vice president while her brother Baste Duterte, a second-degree relative, served as Davao City mayor. Her nephew Rigo Duterte, a third-degree relative, could have been elected as Davao City vice mayor, and her first cousin Harold Duterte, a fourth-degree relative, could have served as PPP party-list representative.

Likewise, the group noted that while Imee Marcos served as senator, the bill could have allowed her son Matthew Manotoc, a first-degree relative, to be vice governor of Ilocos Norte. Her first cousin Cecilia Marcos, a fourth-degree relative, could still have served as Ilocos Norte governor, and her nephew Sandro Marcos, a third-degree relative, and first cousin Angelo Barba, a fourth-degree relative, could have served as district representatives in the same province.

BAYAN Panay said Congress and the Marcos Jr. administration cannot be relied on to ban political dynasties on their own, and called on the people of Panay to exert collective effort and demand the passage of a genuine anti-political dynasty law.

The group pointed to House Bills 209 and 4784 filed by the Makabayan coalition as model legislation, noting that those bills unequivocally block political dynasties up to the fourth degree from simultaneously occupying more than one national, local, or party-list position.

BAYAN Panay maintained that unless dynasties are uprooted, they shall remain a primary political obstacle to genuine democratic reform in the country.

The 1987 Philippine Constitution, under Article II, Section 26, mandates Congress to prohibit political dynasties “as may be defined by law.” Nearly four decades after the Constitution’s ratification, however, no enabling legislation has been enacted, making the anti-dynasty provision one of the longest-unfulfilled constitutional directives in Philippine governance.