Sen. Robin Padilla Urges Stop on Political Dynasty in the Philippines
ROBIN PADILLA – The Senator filed the Resolution of Both Houses No. 9 which seeks to ban political dynasty in the Philippines.
Truth be told that one of the most visible realities in Philippine politics is the existence of political dynasty. It refers to a situation wherein two or more members of a family are involved in politics and usually hold positions in a sequential manner.
Political dynasty in the Philippines is undeniably existing in both local and national levels. This is one of the factors why many surnames are known in the Philippine politics. Among the families with several members holding or having held positions in the government are the Marcoses, the Dutertes, the Binays, and the Villars.
Most of the aforementioned clans are popular in the Philippine politics as one or more members hold national positions. Truth be told that political dynasty is also present in several local governments. What usually happens is when another member from the same family replaces the person whose political term is ending.
One of the lawmakers and popular personalities in the Philippines who is against political dynasty is Sen. Robin Padilla. He recently filed the Resolution of Both House No. 9 in his pursuit to finally stop political dynasties in the country.
Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, Sen. Robin Padilla who heads the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments seeks through his proposal the amendment of the section 26 of Article II on the Declaration of Principles and State Policies of the 1987 Constitution.
Through the Resolution of Both Houses No. 9, Padilla wants the deletion of the generic prohibition on political dynasties as “maybe defined by law” and change it into a specific ban on the following situations:
- Relatives of the President, Vice President, Senators or Party List Representatives running for the same or any national elective positions
- Relatives of incumbent local officials running for party-list representative
- Relatives as mentioned in the proposal shall refer to spouses or persons related within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half blood
- Relatives of incumbent local officials running for any elective office in the same city and/or province where the incumbent is elected
- Relatives of the President, Vice President, or Senators running for local elective office in the same city or province where the said officials are domiciled
Based on the report, the resolution filed by Sen. Robin Padilla also seeks a ban on the candidacy in the same electoral bid of related persons within the 4th degree of consanguinity of affinity to any position in the government held through an election provided that the first bona fide certificate of candidacy filed will be recognized.
According to Sen. Padilla, the term limits in the Constitution are not succesful in stopping the spread of political dynasties in the country. He also stressed that the existing term limits allows those who have finished their term to run for another office or be replaced by a relative in the position.