By Sammy F. Martin
MANILA, June 10 (PNA) — Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., on Tuesday said that the House of Representatives is inclined to pass the anti-dynasty law as mandated under the Constitution.
Belmonte said the proposed measure which is limited only to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity had been tossed to the plenary for debates after the unanimous approval of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms chaired by Capiz Representative Fredenil Castro.
This is the first time this kind of measure passed the committee level. It is also one of the priority bills of Malacanang submitted to Congress.
“I want to see the bill pass in this Congress although there is no counterpart bill yet in the Senate,” Belmonte told reporters at the weekly forum, Ugnayan sa Batasan, at the Batasan Complex in Quezon City.
Under the second degree of consanguinity, he said that cousins and nephews of sitting politicians are not included, “meaning that they can still run to any public office.”
“But I am open to amendment by extending the measure up to the third degree of consanguinity,” Belmonte stressed. Personally, he said he wants this measure to become a law as decreed in the Constitution.
Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice, Bayan Muna party list Reps. Neri Colmenares and Carlos Isagani Zarate, Gabriela party list Reps. Luzviminda Ilagan Emmi de Jesus, Anakpawis party list Rep. Fernando Hicap, Kabataan party list Rep. Terry Ridon and ACT Teacher party list Rep. Antonio Tinio have filed separate bills on Anti Dynasty and it was consolidated under House Bill 3587 under Committee Report 19.
“A political dynasty exists when two or more individuals who are related within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity hold or run for national or local office in successive, simultaneous or overlapping terms,” the committee report reveals.
Under the proposed law, excluded from the second degree of consanguinity are the elective positions of barangay chairpersons and the Sanguniang Barangay (barangay councilmen).
Belmonte said he would like to make some amendments by pushing it further to the third degree of affinity or consanguinity when the debates open on this issue.
“But I may withdraw my amendment if there will be violent reaction and will not agree with me. What is important to me is to pass the measure into law because this is what the Constitution mandates,” Belmonte pointed out. (PNA)