Leni Robredo okay with more than one family member running for office

Camarines Sur congressional bet Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo – the wife of the late Interior and Local Government secretary Jesse Robredo – said she is not a “purist” when it comes to prohibiting political dynasties. During a forum on political clans organized by the Ateneo School of Government on Friday, Robredo said she is only against politicians giving their government posts to family members and not necessarily to more than one family member running for office. “Hindi naman ako against more than one member running as long as hindi pamana, Hindi pinapamana ‘yung position. I think it makes a lot of difference,” Robredo said during the forum. At the sidelines of the forum, Robredo told GMA News Online that she is not a "purist" on the political dynasty issue because there may be cases where more than one family member are capable of holding public office. “Ang sinasabi ko lang, ‘yung view ko hindi purist. Sometimes in a family mayroong really capable. But what I am not in favor of is if those are being inherited by family members para hindi makuha ng iba,” Robredo said. Asked if this means members of political families can run for different offices, Robredo said “it depends.” “Ako kasi mas equal opportunities. ‘Yung saken mas mabuti kapag hindi sa iisang pamilya yan, wala naman tayong monopoly that has good intentions,” Robredo explained. Despite her “non-purist view,” she clarified that everybody should have equal opportunities to run for government. “Mas mabuti sana kung lahat may equal opportunities to run for office. Ang ayaw natin sa political dynasties, nawawalaan ng chance ‘yung iba na hindi naman kasama sa isang pamilya na kumakandidato kasi hindi siya kilala o dahil wala siyang pinanghahawakang poder,” Robredo said. Catapulted into politics Robredo filed her certificate of candidacy for the third district of Camarines Sur during the last of filing in October for those seeking elective posts in the May 2013 elections. By running for office, she becomes one of the women whose political careers were catapulted by the deaths of their husbands. The most famous wife of all was the late President Corazon "Cory" Aquino, the mother of the incumbent President Benigno Aquino III. Cory reluctantly agreed to run against Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 after the murder of her husband in 1983. Robredo was recently appointed chairperson of the ruling Liberal Party in Camarines Sur.   Robredo is running against Nelly Villafuerte, the wife of outgoing Rep. Luis Villafuerte Sr. and Oscar Arcilla from Sta. Cruz, Naga. The Villafuertes are a political family in Caramines Sur, having held various government positions since 1978. According to the book of UP Prof. Temario Rivera “In Search of Credible Elections and Parties: The Philippine Paradox," a political clan is defined as "having at least two members of the same family who have won political positions from 1987 to 2010; and an individual who have won at least three times who have relatives who have been previously elected in the post-war period." The Philippine Constitution also prohibits political dynasties as enabled by law, but Congress has yet to pass an anti-political dynasty law. People's initiative Robredo said she supports the people’s initiative that would enact a law prohibiting political clans. A people's initiative refers to a constitutional method of amending the Constitution or a law through a signature campaign and a referendum. Under Republic Act 6735 or the Initiative and Referendum Act of 1989, private citizens can push for national legislation by having it signed by at least 10 percent of all registered voters and at least three percent in every legislative district. Once the petition is filed with the Comelec, a referendum must be held within 45 to 90 days. “I am for people’s initiative because we’ve had many attempts in the Senate and the House pero all of them are frozen bills. Hanggang kelan ba tayo maghihintay? If an initiative will be pushed for the passage of an anti-dynasty bill, tutulong ako to campaign for it,” Robredo said. Ang Kapatiran Party and Social Justice Society are currently underway in conducting a people’s initiative. - VVP, GMA News