Drilon pushes for provision prohibiting political dynasties in BBL

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon is proposing that a provision that will prohibit political dynasties be included in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

“In the Committee Report, I will push for the inclusion of a prohibition on political dynasties. I am open to discuss the extent of the prohibition, but the anti-dynasty principle must be embodied in the BBL,” Drilon said in a statement on Monday.

“The policy of anti-political dynasty must be put across. We should not sweep it under the rug. It is an issue that must be confronted,” he said.

The senator first raised his proposal during a Senate hearing on the BBL that seeks to establish a Bangsamoro region replacing the current Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“I am really in favor of recommending to the subcommittee that we adopt an anti-political dynasty provision, which may not be perfect, which may not be to the liking of everybody in the ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) but if you look at it objectively, you can come to the conclusion that indeed this is a fair provision…” he said.

“This is an opportunity for us if we want to correct certain issues which stand in the way of moving democracy in that part of the country and of giving an opportunity for leaders to be developed and for all the others benefits that we know in having an anti-dynasty provision,” Drilon added.

Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., who was one of the resource persons in the hearing, welcomed Drilon’s proposal.

“I agree with you, Senator Drilon, that it could be a very good experiment also,” Davide said, adding that such proposal would be subject to ratification by the people once the BBL is proposal is presented to them.

“Perhaps it is now high time for Congress to exercise some kind of a political will, make this as a model, providing for an anti-political dynasty provision. I think that will be a good step forward.”

But Senate Juan Miguel Zubiri raised a possible legal question if such provision would be included in the BBL as it would only cover a certain area in the country.

“Would that be unconstitutional due to the fact that’s being done to a small area of the Philippines and not the whole politicians from Apari to northern Mindanao? Will it be a legal battle?” Zubiri asked.

Lest they be accused of being “unfair,” Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said it would be better to pass a “well-defined” anti-political dynasty law that would cover not only those in Mindanao but the rest of the country.

But Drilon pointed out that the SK Reform Act also contains the same anti-political dynasty provision.

“This is not something that we have not done yet. This is not something new,” he said during the hearing.

“As a matter of policy, I think there is no debate that we should adopt an anti-political dynasty provision,” the Minority Leader added in the statement. /je