Congress must pass anti-political dynasty bill, Comelec commissioner says

Congress must pass legislation that prohibits political dynasties, an officil of the Commission on Elections said, pointing out that the 1987 Constitution requires it. 

 

"We cannot not be in favor of a political dynasty legislation... Nothing less than the Constitution demands that we have an anti-dynasty law. The question just lies in the definition (that it will provide)," Commissioner Luie Tito Guia said in an interview Thursday. 

 

The proposed law against political dynasties only reached the floor of the House of Representatives last May, after 27 years of similar bills languishing at the committee level. 

 

Congress adjourned its session on Wednesday without the House tackling the bill in plenary. The House leadership had decided to "recast" the measure to iron out supposedly vague provisions. 

 

According to House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., representatives wanted to make amendments to the bill's parameters regarding the participation of families in politics. 

 

New ground for disqualification

 

Guia said a law against political dynasties will set "an additional ground for disqualification" of candidates. 

 

He also said the Comelec hopes the bill will clearly define what a dynasty is. 

 

"Ang gusto lang namin ay malinaw 'yung definition ng kung ano ang dynasty, kung ano ang disqualification process," he said. 

 

He added: "Siguro kami ang mag-iisip nu'n, pero mas maganda if may law or legal framework kung saan natin ibabase 'yung procedures—mas malinaw, mas detalyado," he said. 

Asked what Congress should do with the long-delayed piece of legislation, Guia said: "Ipasa natin."
 

75-percent 'dynastic'

 

Data from GMA News Research shows that 75 percent of the members of the House of Representatives come from clans whose members held or are holding elective or appointive positions. 

 

That's 218 of 290 seats.

 

A separate study from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center showed that the percentage is higher compared to those of other countries, such as India (24 percent), Thailand (42 percent), Japan (33 percent), Ireland (22 percent), and the US (six percent).
 

AIM Policy Center executive director Dr. Ronald Mendoza shows percentage of dynasties in Congress among countries. pic.twitter.com/meq5oAqyvp

— R-A. Dioquino (@AicaDioquino) June 11, 2015

 

AIM Policy Center executive director Ronald Mendoza said there are two types of dynasties: thin (wherein an official had a relative who was previously in power) and fat (where two or more people from the same family hold offices at the same time).

 

He said fat dynasties have risen in some provinces and cities, which disrupts the political system. 

 

"The fat dynasties directly erode our system of checks and balances, since the people in the positions are related," he said. — JDS, GMA News