Antidynasty bill faces ‘loosening up’ in House

By: Gil C. Cabacungan - 11 years ago

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. is looking into the possibility of fixing the political dynasty limit to more than two family members in elective positions to ensure the anti-political dynasty bill’s passage in Congress.

But Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, one of the authors of the bill, said such revision would make the reform “pointless” and only institutionalize family rule in the country.

Erice’s House Bill No. 3587 or “An Act Prohibiting the Establishment of Political Dynasties” has been tackled in plenary debates that started last month. The Senate has yet to come up with a counterpart bill.

Erice had proposed that a family should have only one member in an elective position, but he was open to a compromise cap of two to accommodate more than half of the 290 members of Congress who have a child, a spouse, a parent or a sibling who is serving in an elective capacity.

“I’m pushing for a definite limit of more than two, just so as to get the antidynasty bill passed and comply with the constitutional mandate. I’m confident future Congresses can tighten it up,” said Belmonte in a text message.

In a press conference Tuesday, Belmonte, whose daughter is the elected vice mayor of Quezon City, said: “I don’t mind if it gets loosened up. Maybe even more than two as long as it passes, because the Constitution demands that we pass an antidynasty bill. If we pass an antidynasty bill now, which is not necessarily as strict as we would want it, I’m sure it will affect somebody because some families are really so overextended.”

Belmonte was hopeful that “future Congresses” could tighten the bill down the road based on the prevailing public opinion.

“Public opinion is just laughing at us because they all think it will not happen. But if it happens, future public opinion and Congress can weigh in,” said Belmonte. “I’m not really as strict as the authors are, but I would like to see an antidynasty law approved.”

In a text message, Erice said: “There will be no reform if there are more than two because almost nobody will be affected… My position is, I cannot give in with more than two.”

Erice noted that only 60 out of 290 members of the House have more than two family members in elected posts. Erice said that at least 180 members would be affected by his original dynasty cap of one family member.

Belmonte said a dynasty cap of one has “absolutely no chance” of passing in Congress while he doubted whether a dynasty cap of two would be enacted.