The Garcias and the issue of family dynasty
It is my firm belief that Congress cannot justifiably prevent any family, whether the Garcias, the Osmeñas, the Duranos, the Gullases or the Davides, and the Ramas from presenting a number of their family members to the electorate so that the people can judge them and decide for themselves whether to vote for them or not. Therefore, I submit, with due respect to many contrary opinions, that the legislature cannot rightfully enact an ANTI-DYNASTY LAW, without infringing on the sovereign right of the people to decide on such a fundamental issue for themselves and by themselves. This matter is a political issue that only the people can pass upon.
My intelligence report from a very reliable source is that former GSIS chairman Winston F. Garcia will run for governor against the incumbent Hilario P. Davide III and possibly former governor Lito Osmeña. I am also made to understand that Pablo John F. Garcia, who lost to Governor Junjun Davide three years ago, will run in the new seventh congressional district, and Representative Gwendolyn F. Garcia will run for reelection in the third. Mayor Nelson F. Garcia will, of course, run for reelection for the position of Mayor of Dumanjug, and perhaps Nelson F. Garcia may try again in Barili. The grand old man, Pablo P. Garcia, if you ask me, is very much qualified for the Senate.
In the same manner, the Osmeñas can field all family members who want to run for public office, aside from Senator Serge Osmeña who is up for reelection. The Duranos too may run even against each other, as it is the freedom of every sibling, cousin, nephew, or uncle to run. Anyway, it is the people who will decide the matter. The Gullases, the Davides, the Ramas likewise are free to present themselves to the voters again. While theoretically, any Tom, Dick, or Harry can throw his hat into the political ring, it is only the well-entrenched families who have the wealth, the influence, and the organization that enjoy the advantage of name recall.
Thus, the Garcias cannot be faulted if their meaning of ONE CEBU, is One Garcia. They were elected. They did not force themselves to the people. And so, the Garcias should not be singled out whenever we discuss the issue of family dynasty. In the first place, there is no official and legal definition of the term family political dynasty. As of today, there is no limitation, there is no prohibition. It is my firm belief that any proposal for enactment of an ANTI-FAMILY DYNASTY Law will not pass even at the committee level. The whole nation is controlled by dynasties, including the Senate and the House, as well as the executive.
The Marcoses and the Singsons of Ilocos, the Ortegas of La Union, the Dys of the Cagayan Valley, the Cojuangcos and Aquinos of Tarlac, the Macapagals, the Nepomucenos and the Pinedas of Pampanga, the Villafuertes of Bicol and the Khos, Lanetes, and Espinosas of Masbate, the Ampatuans, Dimaporos, Dutertes, and the Matugases and Emanos in Mindanao. In the Senate, a brother and sister are senators, Senators Alan and Pia Cayetano, are siblings, as well as Jinggoy and JV. There was a time when Loi Estrada and son Jinggoy were both in the Senate, Cyntia Villar is there and her son Mark is running too.
And so, what family dynasty are we complaining about? The whole Philippine government is by itself a big family dynasty. It is not the Garcias alone. It is the whole political system. If we do not like dynasties, then we simply do not vote for them. But it is not for anybody to deprive them of their political right to be voted upon. That is the essence of democracy. As long as we are democratic, we just have to grin and bear it.
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