spot_img
28.1 C
Philippines
Friday, March 29, 2024

Drilon to Duterte: Push Anti-Dynasty Law to dismantle “real oligarchy”

- Advertisement -

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon has urged President Rodrigo Duterte to ban political dynasties to finally put an end to the “real oligarchy” in the country.

In an online media forum on Wednesday, Drilon stressed that political dynasties are the real oligarchs who should be the first to be dismantled in the country.

“We must review the whole structure, because the structure may in fact or make oligarchy easy to achieve… The lack of an anti-dynasty system or provision in our system allows oligarchy to continue,” said Drilon.

“[Political dynasties] wield power for their own benefit. It has gone so bad that these dynasties now hold simultaneous national and local positions,” added the senator.

According to Drilon, oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power rests with a small number of people who use their power to seek personal gain or benefit their business interests.

- Advertisement -

“You cannot equate rich and oligarch, meaning it does not mean that if you are rich, you are on oligarch. An oligarch is the one that influences the decision of the government or the one using their political power, their  wealth in order that the policy that they want to protect their interest will be pursued,” he added.

Drilon made the statement after the President said in a speech to soldiers in Jolo, Sulu that he put an end to oligarchy in the country without declaring martial law.

The senator believes the Chief Executive has the capacity to push the passing of the anti-political dynasty bill in Congress since majority of the House of Representative members are his allies.

The former Justice secretary admitted oligarchy is detrimental to a country, hence the need to form a policy that will put a stop to it.

“Oligarchy is bad for our governance and, therefore, as a policy, yes, we should adopt policies to prevent or dismantle these oligarchies. But let us make sure that the oligarchs are not substituted by cronies,” said Drilon.

The senator said he is ready to work with the administration to review the present system and create a law that will dissolve all forms of oligarchy.

“I am willing to sit down with the Duterte administration to examine the laws that we have and find out which laws should be amended, or which laws should be enacted in order that we can remove or dismantle structures that made possible the oligarchy,” added Drilon.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles