The Consultative Committee (ConCom) has voted in favor of inclusion of national and barangay positions in the regulated prohibition on political dynasties.
The committee voted 18-1, in favor of rule that both presidential and vice presidential positions in the government cannot be taken by a second degree affinity or consanguinity of an incumbent president or vice president.
Former Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Roan Libarios casted the vote against the prohibition stating that prevalence of dynasties has yet to happen in the said posts.
“The evil sought to be avoided has not been present in the national level,” he said, citing the experience in the past five presidents where no political clan or party has been able to dominate the presidency.
“If we craft rules, those should be dictated by evidence,” he said.
Meanwhile, lawyers Randolph Parcasio and Laurence Wacnang voted against prohibiting second degree of consanguinity and affinity of a succeeding barangay official to run for the same post, leaving the final tally on implementing the rule on barangay level to 15-2.
Parcasio stated that the new rule on barangay level is “unfair and unjust” and that it will “impinge upon” the Bangsamoro region where close family ties are observed.
Despite this concern, other members of the committee are confident that there will be enough pool of qualified individuals to run for the barangay positions even with the imposition of the regulated ban.
Included in the ban are legitimate, legitimated, or illegitimate, step-relatives, or half-blood relatives.
The committee, however, avoided to vote on the issue of political dynasties running for different positions. They also deferred to vote on the inclusion of mistresses, domestic partners, and girlfriend or boyfriend.
Photo credit: ABS-CBN News
