Political dynasties ‘hypothetical,’ says Abigail Binay

Makati Representative Abigail Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

Less than a year before the 2016 elections, Makati Rep. Abigail Binay on Thursday said the concept of political dynasties was “hypothetical,” noting that families whose majority of members were politicians should not be “overgeneralized.”

Binay said voters were the ones who get to decide whom they want to elect to office, regardless of family name.

“It’s up to the electorate kung sino ang iboboto nila. But I think it’s not fair that you strictly limit. Kasi papano kung ang laki niyong pamilya tapos marami kayong gustong tumakbo. In a way you’re also limiting their right to run for public office,” Binay said in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Bandila.

In the news program’s “Yes or No” segment, Binay was asked if she was in favor of a proposed antidynasty law, but she said the question was “too broad to say yes or no to.”

“It’s hard to say yes to something hypothetical. Anong hitsura nung antidynasty? Kasi it can be in so many variations. I am open to antidynasty, it’s just that anong klaseng antidynasty bill?” Binay said.

“‘Yung antidynasty, in the end, kung properly educated ’yung mga botante, pwedeng may dynasty, pwedeng wala,” she added.

The lawmaker said choices should not be imposed upon the voting public, noting that candidates would not be reelected if they were not serving the people well despite the popularity of their family names.

“There is free will to vote and to change whom you want to sit in office. So parang ’yung konsepto ng dynasty is hypothetical kasi ina-assume mo na matagal na sila doon, dynasty siya. Pero sino ang naglalagay sa kanila doon? Hindi ba ’yung tao din?” Binay said.

“Kung hindi sila nagsisilbi nang maayos, hindi sila mananalo,” she added.

Binay is now serving her third and final term as representative of Makati City, a known bailiwick of her family since the late 1980s. Yuji Vincent Gonzales/RC

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