Bills banning political dynasties and proposing absolute divorce have been refiled at the House of Representatives.
ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Rep. Renee Co filed House Bill 209, or the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Act.
If enacted, the measure provides that no person can hold or run for any elective national or local office simultaneously with another within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half blood.
The bill likewise provides that no person within the prohibited civil degree of relationship to an incumbent elected official can immediately succeed to the position of the latter. Any person running for any elective public office must also file a sworn statement with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) stating that they do not fall under the prohibition.
Similarly, Tinio and Co, along with 4Ps Rep. JC Abalos, filed House Bill 210, or the proposed Absolute Divorce Act.
“In the context of divorce, a marriage is recognized as valid but is terminated. The termination occurs not due to any defect or omission at the time of the marriage ceremony, but rather as a result of circumstances that arise during the marriage itself—which is a reality that most individuals often fail to acknowledge,” Abalos said in the bill’s explanatory note.
“The bill aims to provide spouses in irreparably broken marriages a legal avenue for dissolution, thereby safeguarding children from marital strife and empowering vulnerable spouses, particularly in abusive relationships, to rebuild their lives,” he added.
