Senator Robinhood Padilla has filed a bill seeking to prohibit political dynasties.
Padilla’s Senate Bill 2730 will provide an enabling law that would implement the 1987 Constitution’s anti-dynasty provision.
“Looking at the political, social, and economic impact of political dynasties, it is undeniable that the framers of our Constitution missed the opportunity to define it and embody the same in our Constitution,” said Padilla.
“To merely state our policy against political dynasties and leave it to Congress to pass an enacting law to breathe life into it is futile since members of the Legislature come from political dynasties,” he added.
The neophyte senator is currently the chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Reforms.
“Given that this measure complies with the legislature’s mandate to enact an anti-political dynasty law and is a step towards leveling the playing field in politics and governance, the passage thereof is earnestly sought,” said Padilla.
Under the proposed measure, no spouse or person related within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half-blood, to an incumbent elective official seeking re-election will be allowed to run.
“In all cases, no person who has a political dynasty relationship to the incumbent shall immediately succeed to the position of the latter,” the measure reads.
The proposed law will also compel candidates to file a sworn statement stating that the candidate has no political dynasty relationship with any incumbent public official.
