Jonathan Frederic De Santos

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Agatha Gregorio, ABS-CBN News

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Groups gathered at the House of Representatives on Thursday to protest House Bill 8389 — the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Act — recently approved on second reading and that they said does not do enough to curb the influence of powerful clans.</p><p>Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) Chairperson Sonny Melencio, among the protesters, acknowledged that the measure filed and supported by House leadership is a &quot;done deal&quot;.</p><p>He said that approval on third and final reading would likely just be a formality with no more amendments made to the proposal, which 175 House members have signed on as co-authors to.</p><p>“So, it&#x27;s a done deal,” Melencio said at a ally with 30 to 40 participants, according to police estimates.</p><div><br/></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:514px;height:649px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2059832479704555731&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-05-28T08%3A42%3A18.236260%3A3dac34ba-0f68-4932-a0dc-41bb5afc28b8%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=a47e4ce73fbf43373d89ee415aa95ab0fa8a6a7e&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="2059832479704555731"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>Akbayan Party-List Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula, who also opposes the measure, said they hope there will be changes at the bicameral conference committee level to reconcile differences in the House and Senate versions of the bill.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/20/house-oks-on-2nd-reading-anti-political-dynasty-bill-1733"><strong>House OKs on 2nd reading anti-political dynasty bill </strong></a></div><p>“Imagine-in mo na lang– ang nanay nasa Senado. Ang tatay isang gobernador. Ang anak isang mayor. Ina-allow ‘yun ng version na ito. So hindi siya anti-political dynasty,” Ismula told reporters on Thursday.</p><p>(Imagine, the mother will be in the Senate. The father will be governor, a child will be mayor. That is allowed in this version. So, that is not really anti-political dynasty.)</p><p>She said expanding coverage, which is only at the second degree of affinity or consanguinity in the House bill, is a non-negotiable change they want to see. </p><p>She said that without it, accountability measures will not work.</p><p>Ismula asked how officials will be held accountable if their relatives are spread out in various areas of government.</p><p>“Kasi nga kung ang nanay ba naman ay ang presidente ng Pilipinas at tito ko or tatay ko ay isang senador, paano pa siya maging accountable sa kanyang kasalanan?” </p><p>(For example, if the official&#x27;s mother is president of the Philippines and their uncle or father is a senator, how would they be held accountable?)</p><p>The 1987 Constitution left the task of operationalizing a ban on political dynasties to Congress, both chambers of which are dominated by members of political families.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>HOUSE MAY OK BILL NEXT WEEK<br/></strong></div><p>Noting differences in the Senate and House versions of the bill — one version filed by Sen. Robinhood Padilla prohibits relatives in local elective positions in the same legislative district, province, city, or municipality — Ismula said the bill could change or bog down at the bicameral conference committee.</p><p>“Pero dahil ito ay isa sa mga panukalang batas na prayoridad ng administrasyon, so ine-expect din naman natin na ito&#x27;y papasa,” she added.</p><p>(But because this bill is a priority of the administration, we expect that this will pass.)</p><p>Ismula believes a third reading of the bill will take place next week.</p><p>On second reading, the bill was amended to exclude barangay captains and members of the barangay council from the prohibition —  a change Ismula opposes.</p><p>“I don&#x27;t agree pa rin dito kasi when we&#x27;re talking about anti-political dynasty, we&#x27;re talking about as a whole,&quot; she said. </p><p>(I don&#x27;t agree with this either because if we&#x27;re anti-political dynasty, we&#x27;re talking about the whole system.)</p><div> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/4/political-dynasties-partly-to-blame-for-flood-control-crisis-ngo-says-1822"><strong>Political dynasties partly to blame for flood control crisis, NGO says </strong></a></div><p>She added developments on the anti-political dynasty bill will also affect the party-list system, which Akbayan has filed bills to amend and reform.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;TRUE&#x27; ANTI-DYNASTY BILL UNLIKELY<br/></strong></div><p>Melencio said the country is already “ruled” by families.</p><p>“Sa Senate, biro mo, magkakapatid– Tulfo, Villar, Cayetano, Estrada, Ejercito. ‘Yung natitira, dynasty din– Marcos, Marcoleta, Villanueva. Wala na ba tayong pag-asa?” Melencio asked. </p><p>(At the Senate, there are so many siblings — the Tulfos, Villars, Cayetanos, Estrada and Ejercito. The others are also part of dynasties — Marcos, Marcoleta, Villenueva. Have we lost all hope?)</p><p>Melencio added, he does not believe Congress will ever pass a true anti-dynasty bill, and so groups are coming together for an alternative “People’s Bill” by way of a people’s initiative campaign.</p><p>“A minority of House representatives did not sign the bill — from the Makabayan bloc, Akbayan, and [Mamamayang Liberal] party-list of Rep. Leila de Lima. We call them to continue to oppose HB 8389 and join forces with the masses opposed to the bill,” he also said.</p>

<p>Groups gathered at the House of Representatives on Thursday in protest against House Bill 8389 or the Anti-Political Dynasty Act, recently approved on second reading.</p>

Groups gathered at the House of Representatives on Thursday in protest against House Bill 8389 or the Anti-Political Dynasty Act, recently approved on second reading.

Groups picket House to oppose likely passage of 'weak' anti-dynasty bill

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Groups picket House to oppose likely passage of 'weak' anti-dynasty bill

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 28, 2026 05:02 PM PHT

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