Cha-cha ‘nothing’ without law vs dynasties

THE Duterte administration should first pass an anti- political dynasty law before tinkering with the 1987 Constitution, Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo said on Friday.

In an interview with CNN Philthe few even if the country makes a ippines’ , The Source, Robredo noted shift to a federal government. that it is time that the 1987 ConstiUnder federalism, independent tution’s provision that reads “[t]he regions each with the authority to State should guarantee equal access manage their resources and craft to opportunities for public service, their laws, including taxation, will and prohibit political dynasties be established but proponents are yet to agree on how to divide the country’s existing 17 regions. power will remain in the hands of “Before we talk about feder- alism, let’s address the political will mean danger rather than imagine, without an anti-political dynasty law and us having federal states, we could be reinforcing… these states could be a fiefdom [of the political clans as it is],” Robredo, a lawyer, said.

During the previous Congress, a proposed anti-political dynasty bill that prohibits two or more individuals who are related up to the second degree of consanguinity from holding or running for a national or local post in successive, simultaneous or overlapping terms reached the plenary.

One of its authors is Rep. Edgar Erice of Caloocan City who was able to deliver his sponsorship in the 16th Congress--the farthest that the bill reached.

Castro of Capiz, in his capacity as chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, who defended Erice’s measure on

the measure in the plenary debates included then- Deputy Speaker Sergio Apostol of Iloilo, Elpidio - bunting of Parañaque City, Amado Bagatsing of Manila and Jonathan dela Cruz of Abakada party-list.

“Looking at the result of the 2016 elections, you could see that members of the political dynasties who won as governor, mayor or lawmaker increased,” Robredo said.

She also opposed a proposal made by Rep. Ching Veloso of Leyte-- head of a sub- committee of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments— that seeks to abolish the Office of the Ombudsman.

“What is bothersome, Robredo added, ‘ is the plan to abolish because without it, we won’t have an independent body that would prosecute corruption cases and other abuses committed by

She said that her opposition to the shift to a federal government since there was also a proposal President under federalism .

- remains, after six years, I won’t be - tution, however, will still be there,” Robredo noted.

President Rodrigo Duterte is not in favor of passing an anti-political dynasty law, saying it is tantamount to restricting the electorate’s right to suffrage.