Tovic Salvador

Several lawmakers back calls for law against political dynasties

Article (news)

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA – Several lawmakers have aired support for renewed calls for Congress to pass a law banning political dynasties, following a petition before the Supreme Court asking the high tribunal to compel both chambers to pass a law against political dynasties. </p><p>The petitioners cited Section 26 of Article II of the  1987 Constitution which explicitly said the State shall prohibit political dynasties.</p><p>House Quad Committee lead chairperson Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers expressed support for the measure.</p><p>&quot;Yes, ako personally gusto ko yan. I-define ano ba ibig sabihin ng political dynasty, ano ba ang limitation surrounding the interest of a certain clan or family in running for public office. Dapat siguro maklaro muna natin yan. Bigyan ng definition and once ito ay maging batas, dapat talagang striktong pagpatupad ng mga batas na ito,&quot; he said in an online interview on Tuesday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/31/sc-urged-to-mandate-congress-to-pass-law-against-political-dynasties-1837">SC urged to mandate Congress to pass law against political dynasties</a></div><p>The petitioners cited data from 2006 to 2018 showing 80% of Congress are from political families; while bills seeking to define political dynasties have languished in Congress.</p><p>When asked if he is optimistic a measure can be passed during the current administration, Barbers responded in the affirmative.</p><p>&quot;I think if Congress will clearly come up with a definition and imitations that will be acceptable to both the Senate and House, sa tingin ko mapapasa natin yan. Ako, I&#x27;m supporting yung ganyang panawagan. Mas gusto ko nga na magkaroon tayo ng definition kung ano ba talaga ito. Nang sa ganun, hindi tayo tinatawag na family corporation,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Sa tingin ko meron. Ito yung panawagan at layunin ng bagong Pilipinas eh. Baguhin natin ang itsura ng Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng pagbabago ng mga pulisiyang pampolitikal, pulisiyang pangekonomiya at siyempre yung mga pulisiya ng ating gobyerno to really achieve the objectives of ang Bagong Pilipinas. So sa tingin ko merong political will ang ating Pangulo,&quot; Barbers shared.</p><p>Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc say it&#x27;s about time a law against political dynasties be passed by Congress.</p><p>&quot;Long overdue na task ng Kongreso isabatas yan. Ngayong 19th Congress nag-file tayo ng anti political dynasty bill precisely sa purpose na yan. Pero siyempre dahil sa pag-dominate ng mga political dynasty sa legislative branch natin, kaya hindi talaga yan sumusulong. Pero utang kasi ito ng kongreso sa mamamayan eh,&quot; Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel said. </p><p>&quot;Dapat lang very timely. Kasi kung hayaan natin ito eh di parang tuwing eleksyon pipili nalang tayo ng sinong apelido dapat na manalo. Hindi na yun demokrasiya. Paano yun naging demokrasiya?,&quot; he added.</p><p>Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas welcomed the petition, while posing a challenge to the current administration  of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</p><p>&quot;Hinahamon natin ang Presidente ngayon na talagang ipasa. Magpasa ng ganitong batas na kinakailangan ng ating mamamayan. Kung totoo na gusto ma-resolve yung mga usapin na unethical talaga na may concentration of power sa iilang pamilya lamang, may concentration of wealth sa iilang pamilya lamang over the years. So may problema talaga tayo doon at kailangan i-resolve ito,&quot; she said.</p><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><p>ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro is hopeful the high court will issue a resolution on the matter soon.</p><p>&quot;Inaantay namin ang resolution ng Supreme Court tungkol dito. Kasi nakikita namin na parang remiss ang Congress sa tungkulin na magpasa ng enabling law. Tapos lumalala na yung problema na binubunga nito. Kaya magpasa sana ng resolution ang Supreme Court na pabor sa taongbayan.&quot; she said. (31:15)</p><div><strong>WHAT CAN BE DONE NOW?</strong></div><p>While there&#x27;s no Supreme Court ruling yet, Manuel believes all that needs to be done is to define political dynasties based on an existing law.</p><p>&quot;Ngayon po, siyempre maganda merong special talaga particular na batas para dun sa anti-political dynasty yung na-file natin. Pero, habang wala yan, kung gugustuhin po ng Comelec, pwede nilang gawin eh. Yung definition po ng political dynasty na nasa SK Reform Act. Kasi sabi po doon, bawal hanggang second degree yung pwedeng maupo sa pwesto,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;So kapag ganun, meron ng definition na nasa isang batas din naman. Hindi lang yan executive order, hindi yan parang memorandum lang, batas na po yan. So pwedeng i-pick up ng Comelec ang definition na yan at i-apply kung gugustohin niya,&quot; Manuel added.</p><p>The lawmaker also called on incumbent and aspiring politicians belonging to dynasties to lead by example.</p><p>&quot;Hamunin na natin yung mga dynasties na tumatakbo. Obvious naman na walang debate kung first degree magka-ugnay. Dynasty yan, di ba? Yung mag-ama, mag-ina, ganyan. So hamon ko po sa mga political dynasties na first degree, show the way. Huwag na po kayong tumuloy sa inyong kandidatura para masimula na natin talaga,&quot; Manuel said.</p><p>&quot;Bago tayo tumungo sa second and third degree, sige, first degree, ngayon po, ipakita sa taongbayan, kung ayaw talaga nila sa political dynasty, huwag silang tumuloy sa pagtakbo,&quot; he urged.</p><p>Aside from political reforms, Brosas said the Filipino people must also seek change.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/10/15/23/political-dynasty-ban-in-the-sk-is-it-working">Political dynasty ban in the Sangguniang Kabataan: Is it working?</a></div><p>&quot;Ang gusto ko lang iparating sa mga kababayan natin, kilalanin ng gusto yung kanilang mga iboboto. Kasi parang hindi lang ito ngayon, kundi yung generation ng mga susunod natin, alalahanin natin kung paano maapektuhan ng ganitong klase ng sistema. And we don&#x27;t want na political dynasty talaga ang manaig sa mga susunod pang panahon,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;We should teach our children to fight against this kind of system. Diba? Dapat talaga maunawaan ng mga mamamayan natin na kailangang baguhin natin ito. And in fact, dapat din singilin nila yung administrasyon na nagpapatuloy nito. Kasi ibig sabihin, di sila binibigyan ng political freedom,&quot; Brosas added. (35:15)</p><p>Castro likewise urged voters to look into the character, track record and platforms of politicians, especially the ones from political dynasties.</p><p>&quot;Itong mga political dynasty na yan, tignan ng tao ilang taon na ba nananagyan sa katungkulan? May nabago ba sa kanilang buhay? At nasa pag-aaral naman talaga kapag very fat o obese yung political dynasty sa isang lugar, lalong naging hirap yung mga mamayan. Kaya sa ating mga taong bayan, maging mapanuri, kritikal,&quot; she said.</p><p>Aside from the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has banned politicians “within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity” from joining the first Bangsamoro Parliament.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/7/-elexplain-political-dynasty-part-3-2238">#Elexplain: Bakit hindi nakabubuti para sa bayan ang political dynasties?</a></div><p>The House of Representatives and the Senate leadership, who are respondents in the petition, have yet to issue statements on the matter.</p><p>Last year, a group of UP Law 1976 graduates also filed before the high court a similar petition for mandamus.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zaBLU7WglBE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The petitioners cited data from 2006 to 2018 showing 80% of Congress are from political families; while bills seeking to define political dynasties have languished in Congress.</p>

The petitioners cited data from 2006 to 2018 showing 80% of Congress are from political families; while bills seeking to define political dynasties have languished in Congress.