Binay: There should be no term limit for local pols

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / ELOISA LOPEZ

UNISAN, Quezon – Vice President Jejomar Binay, presidential candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), on Friday said under his presidency, all local politicians will have the opportunity to be elected “one to sawa” (as long as they want).

“Tama ba ‘yung hanggang three terms lang? Sa akin hanggang gusto ng tao ay hindi dapat pagbawalan ng batas ang pagpili ng kandidato (Is it right to limit public service to only three terms? If you ask me, the law should not limit anyone from seeking an elective post and being chosen by the people as long as the people continue to support these candidates),” Binay told an assembly here of candidates of UNA in Quezon province’s 39 towns and two cities.

Section 8, Article X of the Constitution provides that “the term of office of elective local officials, except for barangay (village) officials, shall be three years and no such official shall serve for more than three consecutive terms.”

READ: Binay seeks lifting of term limitations: One to ‘sawa’

The three-term limit rule was reiterated in Section 43(b) of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991.

Binay’s campaign in Quezon was organized by former Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, a close ally of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and is now a staunch supporter of the Vice President.

Suarez, former minority leader in the 15th Congress, is running unopposed in his political comeback in the province’s Bondoc Peninsula district.

Binay served as mayor of Makati for 21 years. During that time, members of his family were also elected to serve various local and national positions.

Binay was Makati mayor from 1986 to 1998 and 2001 to 2010. He was elected vice president in 2010. His wife Dr. Elenita Binay served as Makati mayor from 1998 to 2001.

His son, Junjun, also served as Makati mayor before getting dismissed, while daughter Abigail is Makati representative now seeking election as Makati mayor. Another daughter, Nancy, is a senator.

READ: Binay on political dynasty: Why ban qualified people from gov’t post?

Binay vowed that under his presidency, he will initiate debates and a study on the restrictive terms of office of elected government officials and move for a constitutional amendment to lift the restriction.

The proposed anti-political dynasty bill seeks to prohibit the proliferation of political families but Congress failed to pass the measure.

Binay said that under his presidency, all government infrastructure projects that cost P10 million and below will be implemented by the local government and no longer by the “overburdened” Department of Public Works and Highways.

Binay also promised local officials that he will correct the inequalities in the distribution of the internal revenue allotment (IRA).

He said poorer provinces, cities, towns and villages should be given higher shares from taxes collected by the government.

The IRA represents the local government’s 40-percent share from taxes collected by the government. Towns are entitled to 34 percent of the IRA set aside in a year. Cities and provinces get 23 percent, while village governments get 20 percent.

Binay also held campaign rallies in the towns of Gumaca and Atimonan on Friday.