Virgilio Lorenzo Jr

SC urged to mandate Congress to pass law against political dynasties

The Supreme Court building in Manila. April 21, 2014. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News.

Article (news)

Adrian Ayalin

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Various groups and individuals have joined calls for the Supreme  Court to compel the House of Representatives and Senate to pass a law prohibiting political dynasties.In their petition for certiorari and mandamus filed on March 31, 2025, 1Sambayan representative Antonio Carpio, Sanlakas representative Marie Margerite Lopez, Advocates for National Interest members and University of the Philippines Law Class of 1975 asked for the passage of a law that will define political dynasties.Among the individuals who also signed as petitioners were former military officials Edilberto Adan, Renato De Villa, Mateo Mayuga; Bishops Crispin Varquez, Broderick Pabillo, Jose Colin Bagaforo; priests Flaviano Villanueva, Franklin Pilario; former  Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales; former Commission on Elections commissioner Christian Monsod; former National Economic and Development Authority secretary Solita Monsod; University of the Philippines professors Cielo Magno and Dante Gatmaytan.“The petitioners further pray that the Honorable Court order that Congress be held in contempt should they fail to comply with the Honorable Court’s Decision related to the granting of this Petition within said period of one (1) year from receipt of the Honorable Court’s Decision granting the instant Petition,” the petitioners said.  The petitioners said that the 1987 Constitution explicitly said that the State shall prohibit political dynasties.They also said that the framers of the Constitution viewed political dynasties as a concentration of power within a few select families which undermines equal access to public service.“Consequently, the prohibition of political dynasties was intended to democratize political power, break entrenched political monopolies, and foster a more dynamic and competitive political environment,” the petitioners said.The petitioners also blamed political dynasties which have supposedly worsened the country’s socio-economic development.“These families who held political powers, as shown by their prior track record, almost always, prioritize policies that benefit their own interests, potentially neglecting broader community development, perpetuating economic inequality, and maintaining voters’ dependency on them,” the petitioners said.Citing 2006 to 2018 data, the petitioners noted that almost 80% of Congress and more than 50% of local government officials come from political families.The petitioners stressed that Congress has “ministerial and mandatory duty” to enact an anti-political dynasty law, as commanded by the 1987 Constitution.“The time has come for this Honorable Court to exercise this power and compel Congress to fulfill its constitutional obligation,” the petitioners said.In 2024, a group of UP Law 1976 graduates also filed before the Supreme Court a similar petition for mandamus.<div> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/19/lawyers-group-files-petition-vs-political-dynasties-before-sc-1948">Lawyers’ group files petition vs political dynasties before SC</a></div><div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zaBLU7WglBE??si=Hs-wT9nUNUeU-wPX&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>

Various groups and individuals have joined calls for the Supreme Court to compel the House of Representatives and Senate to pass a law prohibiting political dynasties.

Various groups and individuals have joined calls for the Supreme Court to compel the House of Representatives and Senate to pass a law prohibiting political dynasties.