Comelec hopeful anti-dynasty bill will be passed

MANILA, Philippines - Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. believes the country’s  political system will be reborn  once Congress passes the anti-political dynasty Bill.

 â€œWe just hope that it will be passed in time for the 2016 elections,” he said.

Brillantes said he is hopeful that the Senate would come up with a counterpart measure to speed up the legislation.

 â€œI think with the recent development in the lower house, we can see the Senate making a similar move to ban political dynasties,” he said.

The bill seeks to define a political dynasty as existing when  two or  more individuals from the same family are running for a national or local position in successive, simultaneous and overlapping manner.  

“No spouse, or person, elevated within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate of illegitimate, full or half blood, to an incumbent elective official seeking re-election shall be allowed to hold to run for any local or national elective office in the same election,” read the bill.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said   he fully supports the need to have an anti-dynasty law.

“The (anti) political dynasty is provided in the Constitution,” he said. “It needs an implementing law, I support a (anti) political dynasty bill. How it will look like I still have no idea.” 

Drilon said he is interested in finding out the provisions of the House of Representative’s version of the bill to see if it is reasonable.

“I have not tested the waters in the Senate,” he said. “But from a personal point of view I support it.” 

Senators Juan Edgardo Angara and Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, both of whom have relatives in government, also backed an anti-political dynasty bill. –Sheila Crisostomo, Marvin Sy