Expanded anti-dynasty bill to cover barangay, SK posts

A measure seeking to ban political dynasties in the country will be expanded to include all elective posts in the country, one of its authors said Wednesday. Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño said House Bill 3413 or the anti-dynasty bill will be amended to expand its scope not only to national electoral posts but also to positions at the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) levels. “The consensus so far is to expand the scope of HB 3413 to cover all elective officials from the president, vice president, senators, district and party-list representatives, local government positions from governor down to the barangay level and even the SK," he said in a statement Wednesday. Casiño said the changes will be introduced once a technical working group formed by the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms meets on the measure during the legislative break starting June 9. The proposed amendments to HB 3413 stemmed from a recommendation by Commission on Elections Commissioner Rene Sarmiento to include all elective posts in the bill against political dynasties. “The prohibition on political dynasty must also include barangay and SK positions [so] as to give strength to the letter of the law. As the basic political unit, the barangay serves as the primary planning and implementing unit of government policies," Sarmiento said in a position paper submitted to the House panel. Sarmiento, on behalf of the poll body, also expressed support for HB 3413, which he said will “distribute power to as many people and avoid concentration to selected few." The House suffrage panel began initial deliberations on HB 3413 Wednesday morning. The measure bans an incumbent official’s spouse or relative to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, from running for any elective office within the same city or province. Elective officials who will violate the ban on political dynasties — once the bill is passed into law — shall be disqualified to run for or assume office, according to the measure. Other authors of the bill are Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino, Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano and Gabriela Women's party-list Reps. Emerenciana de Jesus and Luzviminda Ilagan. — ELR/VS, GMA News