Con-com OKs ban on political turncoatism in proposed federal Charter

President Rodrigo Duterte's Consultative Committee (Con-com) tasked to propose changes to the 1987 Constitution on Wednesday adopted a ban on political turncoatism in its proposed federal Charter.

Fourteen of the 22-member Con-com approved three sections proposed by Dean Julio Teehankee on political parties and suffrage, while four—including former Senate president Aquilino Pimentel Jr.—voted yes with reservations.

Four members of the Con-com were absent during Wednesday afternoon's en banc session.

"Any member of a political party elected to public office is prohibited from changing political parties within their term of office," Section 5(a) of the now-approved provision states.

Any candidate seeking public office or any political party official is also banned from switching political parties two years before and after an election.

Candidates who violate these provisions shall lose the position to which they were elected; be barred from being immediately appointed to a public office; prohibited from running in the next election; and reimburse funds to his or her party if the group funded his or her campaign.

In relation with this, any political party which accepts candidates covered by the ban will incur grounds for the cancellation of its registration with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Finally, political parties are banned from nominating more than the number of persons required to be voted for in a particular elective position, except for the proportional representative seats in the House of Representatives.

The provision also states that candidates will "[not] be allowed to accept nominations from more than one registered political party, except in cases of aggrupations or coalitions thereof."

Joining parties a choice

In response to Con-com member Roan Libarios' view that penalties for political turncoatism are "draconian," Con-com chairperson and former Supreme Court chief Justice Reynato Puno said that joining political parties is not compulsory.

"Kung ikaw, ayaw mong mawala 'yung individual autonomy mo, individual freedom mo, then the simple thing to do is not to join a political party," he said.

Registration, nomination reforms

Other reforms approved by the Con-com en banc include the prohibition of religious denominations and sects from being registered as political parties.

Groups which seek to achieve their goals through violence or illegal means, refuse to obey the Constitution, or are supported by foreign government shall also be disallowed to register, the section states.

Accepting financial contributions from foreign governments and from criminal sources that would influence the results of elections will be additional grounds for the cancellation of the political party's registration with the Commission on Elections.

Equal representation

Another approved section mandates that the state promote the development of political parties as "democratic public institutions."

Notably, the approved proposal requires political parties "as far as practicable," to enable the "equal representation of women candidates in every election."

More, marginalized and underrepresented sectors may organize themselves into "genuine political parties with articulated platforms of government and capable representatives."

For Puno, these reforms will turn political parties into "vital instruments of democracy."

"We are instituting reforms that will transform our political parties as vital instruments of democracy. Our recognition of the vital role of political parties in a representative democracy is the reason why we are constitutionalizing political parties," he said.

The Con-com aims to submit its proposed federal Charter to Duterte by July. Congress may or may not accept the body's proposed changes. — BM, GMA News