THE Dapat Isa Lang (Just One) coalition on Wednesday launched a digital petition supporting their version of the Anti-Political Dynasty Act.
Members of the People’s Initiative Coalition Against Dynasties, namely retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Fr. Roberto Reyes, Alexander Lacson, Luie Tito Guia, Alexander Cabrera, Miguel Karlo Abadines, Eirene Jhone Aguila, are among the primary signatories of the petition addressed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The group said it filed the petition in response “to the continuing failure of Congress to implement the Constitution’s mandate to prohibit political dynasties, and the urgent need to restore equal access to public office, meaningful electoral choice and democratic representation by preventing the concentration and transfer of power within political dynasties, whose continued dominance has been closely linked to poverty, inequality, corruption and weak governance.”
Under Section 5 of the petition, only one member of a political dynasty may be allowed to run or to serve and remain in office.
Members of a political dynasty have to decide who among them will run. If no decision is reached, “preference shall be accorded to the member seeking or occupying the higher elective office, subject to existing election laws, including the rules on nuisance candidacies.” The public offices range from president to vice president to senator to member of the House of Representatives, as well as local elective offices.
Any voter may file a petition for disqualification before the Comelec, or the Comelec itself may initiate proceedings against any candidate prohibited by this act.
Those who want to sign the petition can visit d1l.org and fill up a form.