The Senate committee chaired by Senator Francis Pangilinan has approved a proposed measure defining and prohibiting political dynasties, which he said was among the reforms sought by the Filipino people.
The passage of the anti-political dynasty bill is the change wanted by the people and not election postponement, term extension, or railroaded Charter change, said Pangilinan, chairman of the committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes.
Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, co-author of the bill, said the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill should be institutionalized to encourage the Filipino people to vote for candidates based not only on their family name, but also on platform, proposed policies, and advocacies.
Ejercito said an anti-dynasty law may be a chance to improve the quality of political parties by increasing everyone’s access to political participation.
“By particularly defining political dynasty, challengers with valuable policy ideas will be given a chance to hold public office. I am proud to say that I have co-authored the SK Reform Act or RA 10742 which contained an anti-dynasty provision,” he said.
Pangilinan said Committee Report 367 or the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill provides for penalties under the Constitution.
Ejercito conceded that it was not easy to be part of a political family and a political dynasty: His father, former President Joseph Estrada is now the mayor of Manila, his mother Guia Gomez is mayor of San Juan, while his niece Janella Ejercito is vice mayor of San Juan.
“I, myself has been subject to criticisms because I have relatives in the political arena. However, this does not hinder me from filing an Anti-Political Dynasty Bill,” he said.
With the surge in our population reaching over 100 million, Ejercito said it has became his principle and belief that “we should give others the chance to serve,” and this should not be a monopoly.
In the midterm elections in May next year, Ejercito is seeking a reelection while his half brother, Jinggoy Estrada is also running for a Senate seat. Their father is seeking a third term of office as city mayor.
Asked if someone had confronted his family over the political dynasty issue, Ejercito gave a negative reply,
“Not yet, but I’m anticipating it will come. Because many might think that I’m doing this since I don’t want to run in an election with my brother. But. really I thought that with the 100 million population, many would want to serve,” said Ejercito.
“Majority of the senators are very sensitive on the pulse (of the public). They will go with what majority of the public want,” stressed Ejercito.
The bill defines a political dynasty as the “concentration, consolidation, and/or perpetuation of public office and political powers by persons related to one another within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity.”
“We have to stress here that the question of whether or not dynasties are good for the country is immaterial because the Constitution mandates that the Congress must define by law political dynasty that it should be, ought to be prohibited,” Pangilinan said.
He said that patronage, corruption, fraud and violence dominated the existing political system and allowed political dynasties to thrive.
“Let us be the Congress that will put an end to this exclusionary type of political leadership, and open the electoral playing field to more of our citizens,” Pangilinan said.