Cynthia Villar: Nothing wrong in political dynasty

ILOILO CITY , Philippines — Former Rep. Cynthia Villar of Las Piñas City said there is nothing wrong on relatives running for different elective posts.

Villar, who is running for senator in 2013, was the keynote speaker during the Cooperative Month Celebration in Iloilo province.

Citing it as a normal occurrence if children take over their parents, Villar’s statement was in response to her position on the anti-political dynasty bill now pending in Congress.

Presently, Mrs. Villar’s son, Mark, is the congressman of the lone district of Las Piñas while her husband, Manny, is a senator.

“Normal naman sa Pilipinas na ang anak nagpa-follow sa career ng magulang. Halimbawa, yung mga doctor ay may mga anak din na doctor. Ganun din ang mga abogado o artista. Kaya ang mga pulitiko, normal lang na may sununod din sa yapak nila,” she said.

Not because they have politicians as parents, a candidate should not be voted for. “Unfair naman siguro na dahil sumunod ka sa yapak ng magulang mo ay hindi ka iboboto dahil ang mga magulang ay politiko din,” Villar said, insisting that a politician should be voted because of the merit of performance and not of genealogy. 

Earlier, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago filed Senate Bill 2649, which provides that no spouse or person related within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity can run for a position in the same province in the same election.

Santiago cited that, under Article II Section 26 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”

If the incumbent official holds a national position, Miriam’s bill provides that a politician’s relatives shall only be disqualified from running in the province where the official is a registered voter. But if there are also candidates who are related in a similar prohibited degree, they shall also be disqualified from running for any local elective office within the same province and election.

Aside from the Santiago bill, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño also filed House Bill 3413, in the House of Representatives. Other similar bills were also filed during the 13th and 14th Congresses. (FREEMAN)