Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has filed a bill prohibiting political butterflies, or politicians who switch political parties before, during, or after elections.
The measure filed by Arroyo, representative of Pampanga’s second district, also imposed stiffer penalties for violators.
“Our history tells us that political parties in the Philippines are normally used only as political vehicles to win an election. Hence, most political aspirants change political parties for convenience, rather than because of conviction,” Arroyo said in the bill’s explanatory note.
She said switching political parties “only shows the lack of ideological commitment to the members of a party because they choose parties based on the rise and fall of the tide of opportunity.”
Arroyo said, “turncoatism should never be encouraged nor tolerated since it only distorts the concept of word of honor and dignity of a leader.”
The bill recommends that political turncoats shall be deemed to have forfeited their elective office if they change their political party affiliation one year before or after any elections.
It also prescribes the penalty of disqualification from running for any elective position in the next succeeding election immediately after the act of changing political party affiliation.
Arroyo said her bill, once enacted, will prevent the system of ward politics and political chameleons.
She proposes in her bill that the political chameleon shall also be disqualified from being appointed or from holding any position in any public or government office for three years after the expiration of the current term.
The proposal also prohibits turncoats from assuming any executive or administrative position in the new political party. It requires turncoats to refund any and all amounts received from the one’s former political party plus a 25 percent surcharge.
“It is imperative that the political party system should be strengthened if we want to develop, achieve political development and democratization,” said Arroyo, who is currently on medical and wellness leave abroad.