Con-com spokesperson: Draft federal charter not pro-dynasty

The spokesperson of the Consultative Committee (Con-com) tasked to review the 1987 constitution said that the draft federal charter does not promote political dynasties.

“The Con-com draft contains self-executory provisions banning political dynasties, defining the coverage up to second-degree of relations by blood or marriage, prohibiting succession at all levels from the president to barangay kagawad,” Ding Generoso said in a statement on Sunday.

He explained that the draft constitution also prevents officials from “running or holding more than one position except one national and one regional or local.”

“…which means of the 295 political dynasties and of the 25 million families, there will be only two families that can have not more than two positions—the family of the president and the vice president,” he said.

“All others will have only one position,” he added.

Generoso’s comments were in reply to the accusation of former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. that the Con-com’s draft allows the proliferation of political dynasties.

“The guards of the Lower House will prepare possible amendments precisely to pursue their desire that there’ll be a longer transitory period and that the President will be in power,” Davide said on Saturday in a report from GMA News TV’s Balitanghali.

The Con-com spokesperson answered, “Which is pro-dynasty then, the 1987 Constitution or the Concom draft?”

“If we go back to the debates in the 1986 Con-com, maybe we will find out who didn’t want the 1986 Con-com to put self-executory provisions in the 1987 constitution,” he said, throwing shade on Davide, who made the changes in the current constitution’s phrasing of the political dynasty provision.

Davide, during the 1986 Con-com, changed the word “broaden” to “ensure equal access” in Section 26 of Article II, which originally states “The State shall broaden opportunities to public office and prohibit public dynasties.” /ee