Greed for power, not Charter, makes empires
It’s the desire to hold on to power — not the Constitution — that has caused the rise of political dynasties in the Philippines.
This was Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon’s quick retort to House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano who, on Monday, asserted the need to change the 1987 Charter to eliminate the rule of political families.
“I do not subscribe to that,” Drilon countered Cayetano, the outgoing House leader if he would honor his agreement with Marinduque Representative Lord Alan Velasco.
Velasco is supposed to succeed Cayetano as House Speaker in October this year following the 15-21 formula they have set. The deal gave Cayetano 15 months to lead the House while Velasco gets 21 months.
Whether or not there is a term limit, so long as we have no implementing legislation on the anti-political dynasty provision of the Constitution, we will have a problem of political dynasties.
The agreement was reached after Cayetano, Velasco and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez figured in a close contest for the speakership. Romualdez settled for the House Majority Floor Leader’s post for the whole three years until 2022.
Cayetano, however, had tried to turn his back on the deal when he claimed that there was a supposed clamor to re-elect him as House Speaker last year. The supposed election did not transpire.
“Whether or not there is a term limit, so long as we have no implementing legislation on the anti-political dynasty provision of the Constitution, we will have a problem of political dynasties,” Drilon said.
“It is the desire to hold on to political power rather than the term limit that is the cause of these dynasties,” he added.
Cayetano recently claimed that the three-year term for local officials is too short for them to deliver for their constituents, pointing to this is the reason behind the existence of political dynasties in the country.
Cayetano currently sits as 1st District representative of Taguig City-Pateros while his wife, Lani, represents the second district of the same city.
His sister, Pia Cayetano, is now a senator while his younger brother sits as Taguig City mayor.
Cayetano’s statement came as he justified the revival of Charter change (Cha-cha) talks following the proposal by the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.
Article II, Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution specifically provided that: “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”
There is no law to implement this Constitutional provision, however.
Drilon believes that the League of Municipalities of the Philippines’ push to revive talks on Cha-cha is due to the local government officials’ intention to extend their terms and lift the term limits.
“The real intention is in the headlines today. It says that the proposal is to increase to five years the term of local government officials and no term limit. Constitutional reform is always a divisive issue. What we need today is food rather than Cha-cha,” Drilon reiterated.
Over the weekend, 1,488 municipal mayors submitted a resolution to the Department of the Interior and Local Government calling for amendments to the 1987 Constitution amid the pandemic.
Velasco is supposed to succeed Cayetano as House Speaker in October this year following the 15-21 formula they have set. The deal gave Cayetano 15 months to lead the House while Velasco gets 21 months.
The LMP resolution seeks constitutional amendments to institutionalize the Madanas Ruling of the Supreme Court and lift restrictions on foreign investments.
House Constitutional Amendments Committee chairman Rufus Rodriguez expressed willingness to set a meeting after President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address to look into the possible Cha-cha talks amid the pandemic.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, however, said Cha-cha is not included in the chamber’s list of priorities.
If the Senate disagrees to the move, the Cha-cha is considered doomed.