Anti-political dynasty bill filed in House

LAWMAKERS have filed a bill seeking to bar members of political families from running for public office, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s call to advance reforms against political dynasties.

House Bill 6771 will prohibit spouses and relatives within the fourth civil degree of national or local officials from running in the same legislative district, province or city.

Speaker Faustino G. Dy III — himself part of a political clan — and House Majority Leader and presidential son Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos III filed the measure on Dec. 10.

“With this measure, Congress will finally fulfill its constitutional mandate to prohibit political dynasties and take a crucial step toward building a more inclusive and accountable political system for all Filipinos,” they said in the bill’s explanatory note.

While multiple bills seeking to ban political dynasties have been filed in the past decades, no such law has been passed almost 40 years since the 1987 Constitution mandated one.

The House bill defines a political dynasty as the concentration of elective power among people related to one another.

A “political dynasty relationship” refers to a familial link with an incumbent official, including spouses, direct ascendants or descendants, siblings, and relatives within the fourth civil degree, legitimate or not.

If a person is an incumbent or candidate for a national position, their spouse and relatives covered by the definition will be barred from holding any elective national post. The same prohibition applies at the district, provincial, city, municipal and village levels.

Candidates will also be required to submit a sworn statement to the Commission on Elections affirming they do not have political dynasty relationships.

Mr. Marcos earlier urged Congress to fast-track the passage of an anti-dynasty law after a Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting on Tuesday. — Adrian H. Halili