People's initiative anti-dynasty law eyes only 1 nat'l, local post per family

A group called "Dapat Isa Lang" coalition is pushing a signature campaign to pass an Anti-Political Dynasty law that will limit only one member of the family up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity from occupying a national post.

"Nagiging laban na ng apelyido ang halalan, hindi ng kakayahan. Ito ang nais baguhin ng People's Initiative. Tao mismo ang magpapatupad. Bubuksan natin ang pulitika sa mas maraming Pilipino," said former Commission on Elections commissioner Luie Guia, one of the coalition members.

(Elections are becoming a battle of surnames, not abilities. This is what the People's Initiative wants to change. The people themselves will implement. We will open politics to more Filipinos.)

The group is also pushing the same for local posts for up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity to seek or occupy public office at the same time.

"Bawat bayan, lungsod barangay, mayroong may kakayahan, malinis na hangarin, at handang maglingkod... But they are discouraged from running kasi wala silang tamang apelyido," Guia explained.

(Every town, city, barangay, there are those who are capable, have clean intentions, and are willing to serve... But they are discouraged from running because they don't have the right surname.)

Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio is part of the coalition and backs calls to "break the cycle" of political dynasties.

Ina Claustro of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, on the other hand, said "leadership should be learned from competence, integrity, and service, not inherited through political dynasties."

The 1987 Constitution bans political dynasties as provided for by law. But to date, an Anti-Political Dynasty bill is yet to secure Congressional approval despite repeated refiling of the measure by its authors.

Currently, the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Act is awaiting second reading in the Senate.

Meanwhile, on March 17, the anti-political dynasty bill approved by the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms reached the plenary, which is only the second time since 1987 that such a measure has been sponsored on the floor.

Since the bill is seeking passage into law via people's initiative, at least 10% of registered voters should sign off on the anti-dynasty bill proposal, of which 3% of each legislative district's voters must be represented.

The Commission on Elections will then verify such signatures, and if proven authentic, the poll body will subject the bill to a referendum or election.

A simple majority of the voters voting in favor of the measure will enact the bill into law without the need for the approval of Congress or the President.

Lawyer Carlo Africa, the coalition spokesperson, recognized that their unprecedented effort will not be easy and, as such, safeguards will be in place to protect the process from bad actors, such as those who will attempt to submit a forged signature.

The group said these safeguards will also include online registration of signature with the accompanying photo that will be cross-checked with Comelec’s record of registered voters.

Previous attempts to pass a law via people’s initiative have all failed, but Carpio and Dapat Isa Lang coalition member Atty. Eirene Aguila People's Initiative Coalition Against Dynasties, argued that the effort to weed out political dynasties is a different ballgame that can be won.

Carpio cited that a people’s initiative bill seeking to ban political dynasties is different from the People’s Initiative bill seeking to amend the Constitution, which has already been ruled illegal by the Supreme Court, even amid repeated attempts.

“From the very first time in Santiago v. Comelec, the Supreme Court already said that the law to amend the constitution is unconstitutional. But it did not declare unconstitutional the provisions to enact national legislation or ordinary local ordinances via people’s initiative. This is a different exercise because we're not changing the constitution. This is just an ordinary national legislation,” Carpio pointed out.

Aguila, for her part, said technological advances and the trillion-peso flood control mess have made it easier to campaign for a good cause, such as an anti-political dynasty bill.

“10 years ago, there was no survey showing 70% to 80% of Filipinos are against political dynasties. Now, Filipinos are not ashamed to say that they are against these dynasties. I hope that one in 10 out of the 70% to 80% will sign off on the people’s initiative bill for us to meet the threshold,” said Aguila, who has been involved in the People’s Initiative actions.

“And we also have the technology now to speed up and reduce the cost of gathering the signatures needed. Pero tama po kayo, hindi po ito madaling gawain. Pero hindi po kami natitinag sa kahirapang ito. Sa tingin ko ay handa na po ang mga Pilipino na ipaglaban ang tunay na demokrasya,” Aguila added.—VAL, GMA News