THE House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms will start deliberations today, Jan. 27, on the 20 anti-political dynasty bills that have been referred to it.
Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, the committee’s chairman, said in a statement on Monday he is committed to ensuring “that the committee’s deliberations produce a version of the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill that is effective, legally sound, and constitutionally compliant.”
Among the key resource persons invited by the committee were former Supreme court associate justice Adolfo Azcuna, lawyer Christian Monsod, and Wilfrido Villacorta who are among the framers of the 1987 Constitution.
They will be joined by former chief justices Reynato Puno and Artemio Panganiban, associate justice Antonio Carpio, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia, Philippine Bar Association President Joseph Manolo Rebano and Integrated Bar of the Philippines President Allan Panolong.
Deans of top law schools were also invited.
Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña believes “there is growing public groundswell to finally legislate the Constitution’s mandate on Congress to ban political dynasties.”
Speaker Faustino Dy III has urged his colleagues to join him in pushing for a measure “that will provide a clear and just definition of political dynasty.”
Article II, Section 26 of the Constitution directs the State to “guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants Congress to prioritize several measures, including one that bans political dynasties.
