The existence of political dynasties is “not inherently bad,” President Rodrigo Duterte said over the weekend as he stressed that it would not be eradicated unless the 1987 Constitution is amended and the country’s culture is changed.
Duterte said a proposal to prohibit political dynasties in the country will never be accepted, citing the existence of families currently holding elective positions.
“The provision in the constitution about political dynasties will never push through no matter how hard they try,” Duterte said during the inauguration of infrastructure projects in Dapa, Siargao Island.
The 17th Congress has rejected the proposal of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Federalism and Constitutional Reforms on the 1987 Constitution to include the ban on political dynasties in the proposed revisions to the 1987 Constitution, calling it “anti-democratic.”
A number of anti-political dynasty bills filed before the 18th Congress also remain pending at the committee level.
Duterte, whose three children are also holding government posts, said the anti-dynasty proposal “will never be passed.”
“If you convert it into a constituent assembly and allow Congress to initiate changes in a constitution, [an anti-political dynasty law] will still never be passed, not because we do not want it or we want
it, but the people, from my experience, no matter where you may be, there are so many who will oppose that,” he said.
Duterte said there would be no total prohibition of political dynasties, “unless you change the whole picture, unless you change the Constitution, unless you change the culture.”
“But if we stay like this, we will have dynasties. And dynasties are not bad,” he said.
Duterte’s children — Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, and Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte – all followed his political footsteps.
Duterte said the only problem with political dynasties is that some families are involved in unlawful acts, such as the illegal drug trade.
“The problem with dynasties is if the family that rules the city monopolizes the businesses, kills their enemies, and then later on in some areas, it is the mayors themselves who would lead the drug trade,” he said.
