Sen. Francis Pangilinan (Photo from his Facebook page)
BAGUIO CITY — Changes to the 1987 Constitution must include prohibitions on political turncoatism and dynasties so that political parties will be “guided by principles, not by personalities,” Senate Minority Leader Francis Pangilinan said on Friday.
Pangilinan chaired a regional consultative hearing organized by the Senate at the University of the Cordilleras (UC) here on Charter change (Cha-cha) proposals to pave the way for the creation of a federal system of government.
The Liberal Party president said so-called political butterflies should be banned because they existed only for their own interests.
He also favored Charter proposals requiring state subsidies for political parties and the retention of the country’s multiparty system.
Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, head of the ruling PDP-Laban, said his party’s federalism proposal called for a ban on political dynasties that would prevent family members up to the second degree of affinity and consanguinity from seeking office at the same time.
Accountability
“We want to change the system. Federalism espouses increased accountability which will lead to change in political culture,” said Pimentel, who was joined in the hearing by Senators Panfilo Lacson, Bam Aquino and Nancy Binay.
Ray Dean Salvosa, UC president, said he was in favor of federalism, citing his 15-year stay in the United States, which is run by a federal form of government.
“I know and have observed firsthand how a federal system works and it is excellent,” Salvosa said.
But federalism would be ineffective if dynasties continued to rule the country’s political landscape, he said.
“Probably the worst example of a political dynasty is the Ampatuan clan in Maguindanao,” Salvosa said. “They had 23 Ampatuans in government positions in the province, so they controlled it.”
Section 26, Article 2 of the 1987 Constitution prohibits political dynasties but requires Congress to pass an enabling law to give teeth to the ban.
Salvosa cited a study by Ateneo School of Government which tracked the relationship between poverty and political dynasties in 82 provinces.
“Perpetuation of political dynasties is not just the fault of Congress but the public as well. We are the ones who voted them to power,” he said.
“The poorer the province, the likelier it is controlled by a political family dynasty and when this family takes control over a province, the poverty gets worse,” he added. —KARLSTON LAPNITEN AND KIMBERLIE QUITASOL