A joint Senate committee has approved a proposed measure that would bar political dynasties in elective positions nationwide.
A total of 13 legislators endorsed on Wednesday evening Senate Bill No. 1765, the consolidated bill against political dynasties, which seeks to prohibit immediate and extended relatives from running for public office to succeed or replace a relative, or simultaneously serve with a relative in the same political jurisdiction.
Those who passed SB 1765 were Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon, Senators Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, Panfilo 鈥淧ing鈥� Lacson, Grace Poe, Joseph Victor 鈥淛V鈥� Ejercito, Paolo Benigno 鈥淏am鈥� Aquino IV, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Ralph Recto, Sherwin 鈥淲in鈥� Gatchalian, Leila de Lima, and Francis 鈥淜iko鈥� Pangilinan.
SBN 1765 limits the prohibition up to second degree of consanguinity or affinity.
This covers legal and common-law spouses, siblings, parents, and children (legitimate, illegitimate, and adopted), and the spouses of their second-degree relatives.
The proposed law also prohibits an incumbent national elective official, including party-list representatives, to have these same set of relatives run for any position in the national and local levels, including as barangay captain, mayor, governor, or district representative in any part of the country.
Pangilinan and De Lima conducted one hearing each on political dynasties and drafted the report.
Pangilinan is chairperson of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes and vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People鈥檚 Participation, while De Lima is chairperson of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People鈥檚 Participation.
On Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte thinks that an anti-political dynasty bill is 鈥渁nti-democratic鈥� because the people should be the one to decide whom to vote for in office.
Duterte鈥檚 daughter, Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio, is the mayor of Davao City and his son, Paolo, was the city鈥檚 former vice mayor.聽聽聽聽 Jhoanna Ballaran, 聽聽 /kga