Malacañang on Wednesday pushed back against criticism that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was merely paying lip service to the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty bill, after a lawmaker accused him of insincerity over the measure’s priority status.
The bill recently cleared committee level at the House of Representatives, but some lawmakers withdrew their co-sponsorship, citing disagreements with the approved version.
In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said it was unfair to blame the President for differences among legislators, particularly following remarks by Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar “Egay” Erice that the measure was not genuinely an administration priority.
“Why blame the President? If he does not agree with the version from the House of Representatives, then when debates take place, he should argue his points carefully and bring out all his arguments. Whatever the outcome, it will not be his decision alone,” Castro said.
She added that crafting legislation is the responsibility of lawmakers. “It is their job to make laws, so he must work on whichever version he wants,” she said.
Castro said the President reiterated during the latest Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting that the Anti-Political Dynasty bill remains a priority measure. She noted he welcomed updates on public consultations, including those reported by Senator Risa Hontiveros.
According to Castro, Mr. Marcos wants the measure passed promptly, with provisions that would address political dynasties.
Asked about the preferred level of consanguinity to be covered, she did not cite a specific degree, saying the focus is on ensuring the best possible version of the law.
The 1987 Constitution mandates Congress to prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law, but no enabling legislation has been enacted.
Meanwhile, minority lawmakers withdrew authorship of the proposed measure after a committee approved what they described as a watered-down version.
The Akbayan Reform Bloc, composed of Reps. Chel Diokno, Perci Cendaña, Dadah Kiram Ismulah, and Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, expressed disappointment over the adoption by the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms of a bill they said did not genuinely consolidate various proposals.
The approved bill prohibits spouses and relatives within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity from simultaneously holding certain elective positions at the national and local levels.
If enacted, the prohibition will take effect in the next election and subsequent polls.
The bloc said the committee report fell short of a fair and democratic process and disregarded key proposals, including banning political dynasties in the party-list system and prohibiting succession among family members in elective posts.
“In light of these serious concerns, the Akbayan Reform Bloc has formally withdrawn as authors of the Committee’s consolidated report,” the group said, calling for the measure’s return to committee level for further deliberations.
Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima also withdrew her co-authorship.
“I will withdraw my co-authorship of the substitute bill on Anti-Political Dynasty approved at the House committee level. I refuse to be part of a measure institutionalizing dynasties,” De Lima said.
“Our Constitution has been promoting this for four decades, so it cannot be mere token compliance in legislation while a few families continue to dominate government,” she added, stressing that Congress must approve a total ban.
The Makabayan bloc likewise withdrew support.
“We cannot support a bill that merely regulates political dynasties instead of prohibiting them, which is what the Constitution explicitly commands,” the bloc said, citing Article II, Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution.
“Any enabling law that falls short of outright prohibition is not reform—it is a mockery of the Constitution,” the group added, accusing the administration of pursuing a sham reform agenda.
