Push Admin

Escudero nixes criticism of political families in Senate

Article (news)

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17278574272611727857421569.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Francis &#x27;Chiz&#x27; Escudero takes his oath as the new Senate President on May 20, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Senate President Francis Escudero dismissed criticisms regarding the potential prevalence of political families in the Senate after the 2025 elections, saying there is no law against it and that having relatives together at the chamber will not affect legislation.</p><p>The filing of Certificates of Candidacy this week has revived talk of dynasties in Philippine politics. Candidates who are related to incumbents are seen to have an advantage over those who do not.</p><p>&quot;Sa dulo, wala naman tayong batas na pumipigil kung sinong nais tumakbo. Wala rin namang limitasyon kung sino ang puwedeng iboto o bawal iboto ng ating mga kababayan sa isang demokrasya, majority always wins,&quot; Escudero said.</p><p>(<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">In the end, we don&#x27;t have a law preventing anyone from running. There are also no limitations on who our fellow citizens can or cannot vote for in a democracy, where the majority always wins.)</span></p><div><span style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">He said that if candidates from the same family are elected into office, that still means that more voters picked them. </span></div><p>&quot;Again, hindi mo puwede i-assume na hindi alam at mangmang ang botante kaugnay sa kaniyang pagpapasya,&quot; Escudero said.</p><p>(Again, you cannot assume that voters make uninformed decisions)</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/26/reelectionists-returnees-banner-marcos-jr-senatorial-slate-1145">Reelectionists, returnees banner Marcos Jr senatorial slate</a></div><p>Escudero said this amid the possibility of the 20th Congress including three Tulfos—if both Erwin and Ben Tulfo, who are leading in the latest Pulse Asia Research Survey, win.</p><p>Their brother Raffy is a sitting senator.</p><p>The current senate has two Villars — Cynthia and her son Mark — two Cayetanos — siblings Pia and Alan Peter — as well as half-brothers Senate President Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. JV Ejercito.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/30/sen-imee-marcos-opts-out-of-admin-slate-to-be-free-to-talk-to-all-parties-1517">Sen. Imee Marcos opts out of admin slate ‘to be free to talk to all parties’</a></div><p>Escudero, son of two former House representatives, added that relatives do not necessarily have the same advocacies and positions, adding members of political families also sometimes run against each other.</p><p>&quot;Ang assumption niyo mag-uusap-usap dapat silang pamilya, eh hindi nga, magkakaway nga eh.&quot;</p><p>(You assume that they should just decide on who will run for what but they can&#x27;t because they are rivals)</p><p>Marcos Jr.&#x27;s admin slate for the 2025 elections currently has Sen. Pia Cayetano, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, House Deputy Speaker Camille Villar, and Erwin Tulfo.</p><p>Sen. Imee Marcos was announced to be in the administration slate but has opted out, although President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas will still support her.</p><div><strong>&#x27;NO IMPACT ON SENATE WORK&#x27;</strong></div><p>Escudero also downplayed concerns that having many political families in the Senate would impact its work.</p><p>&quot;Nakita niyo naman yung naging performance sa loob ng gaya ng nasabi ko na 26 na araw o humigit kumulang 100 calendar days nalampasan namin ang nagawa sa loob di lamang ng isang taon pero kulang-kulang dalawang taon ng regular session, so di hadlang yun para magampanan ng Senado yung kaniyang trabaho,&quot; Escudero said.</p><p>(As you&#x27;ve seen, we accomplished more in around 100 calendar days, surpassing what was done in almost two years of regular sessions. So, it&#x27;s not a hindrance to the Senate doing its job.)</p><p>Escudero comes from a political family himself. Before becoming a senator, he served as a congressman for Sorsogon. His sister now holds that seat.</p><p>He emphasized the importance of trusting voters and not limiting their choices, saying that is how US democracy, on which the Philippines based its political system, does.</p><p>&quot;Wala silang ganoong klaseng probisyon sa batas nila kaugnay ng dynasty. Buong tiwala binibigay nila sa kanilang mga botante para magpasya at piliin kung sino ang nais nilang manilbihan sa anumang pwesto. Wala nga din silang term limits. Kasi nga buo ang tiwala nila sa electoral system nila,&quot; Escudero explained.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/25/sara-duterte-says-no-senate-slate-endorsement-for-2025-elections-so-far-1704">Sara Duterte says no Senate slate endorsement for 2025 elections so far</a></div><p>(They don&#x27;t have any laws concerning political dynasties, and they fully trust their voters to decide who should serve in any position. They also don&#x27;t have term limits because they trust the electoral system)</p>

<p>Senate President Francis Escudero dismissed criticisms regarding the prevalence of political families in the Senate. </p>

Senate President Francis Escudero dismissed criticisms regarding the prevalence of political families in the Senate.