3 senatorial bets seek to strengthen political dynasty provision in Constitution

Former Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said the 16^th Congress should determine whether the Constitution’s provision against political dynasties is still relevant.

“The Constitution is 26 years old, maybe the times have changed, in the year 2013 do we still want political dynasties?” asked the senator during the Philippine Daily Inquirer Senate Forum on Wednesday at UP Diliman.

The measure amending the present constitutional provision has been refiled several times but has been languishing in the legislative mill, said the senator who is seeking reelection under the Liberal Party-led coalition.

Pimentel is the son of former Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

“Once those questions are answered, we will be ready with a good model of the Anti-Dynasty Law and I will be ready to file it, if re-elected,” said the senator.

“(According to) the Constitution, the State should prohibit political dynasties. We really need this law but I will be honest, we are facing obstacles,” said Pimentel.

Former Senator Ernesto Maceda. FILE PHOTO

The Senate needs to agree on a definition of the term political dynasty, the degree of relationship in which it should be prohibited, and which offices will be covered by the law, said the senator.

Former senator Ernesto Maceda said that it was clear that the Constitution sought to “ban political dynasties” but said that it should only cover “major positions” from the President to city mayors.

“I don’t think it should go as low as barangay kagawads [village councillors],” he told the audience in the same forum.

But former senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr., son of the late President Ramon Magsaysay, believes that President Benigno Aquino III needs to certify the measure for it to be passed.

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. EDWIN BACASMAS

“This bill has been filed and refiled but has failed to be passed. It needs to be certified by the administration. (It might work) if the President has the political will to remove dynasties,” he told the audience.

Magsaysay said that Aquino’s will to pass such a measure was important since “our culture tends to (lean) towards (political) dynasties.”

All three candidates said they were willing to file an anti-dynasty measure if elected during the midterm elections.

For more on the ongoing forum, log on to https://www.inquirer.net/philippine-election-2013, on https://live.inquirer.net/?p=36; and on Facebook and Twitter.

Inquirer will hold two other fora on April 18 in Baguio and on April 26 in Cebu.

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