Padilla seeks Cha-cha anew – this time, to end political dynasties

FILE PHOTO: Sen. Robinhood Padilla files Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 9 on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, once again seeking an amendment to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, this time to stop political dynasties. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Robinhood Padilla is seeking a fresh push to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution to shatter political dynasties.

Padilla, head of the Senate panel on constitutional amendments and revision of codes, filed Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 9 on Wednesday evening.

In a statement on Thursday, the senator noted that term limits mandated under the Constitution have failed to end political dynasties.

“Instead of waiting for an enabling law from Congress, RBH 9 seeks restrictions on relatives running for public office,” Padilla stressed.

READ: Philippine political dynasties tighten grip on power

Padilla’s RBH 9 specifically seeks to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution’s Sec. 26 of Article II, removing the clause “as may be defined by law” for it to read as: “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service.”

It likewise outlined that the following individuals would be prohibited from running for or holding public office:

• Relatives of the President, Vice President, senators, or party list representatives running for the same or any national elective positions;
• Relatives of incumbent local officials running for any elective office in the same city and/or province where the incumbent is elected;
• Relatives of incumbent local officials running for party list representative;
• Relatives of the President, Vice President, or senators running for local elective office in the same city or province wherein the said officials are domiciled.
• Relatives include spouses or persons related within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full-blood or half-blood.

READ: Doomed anti-political dynasty law

Just last month, Padilla filed Senate Bill  No. 2730 which aims to fulfill the Constitution’s mandate to prohibit political dynasties in the country.

He earlier said his motivation for filing that bill is the belief that it’s now time “to break the barriers that prevent the best and the brightest from serving the Filipino people.”