CHAIRMAN Sixto Brillantes Jr. of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said that the only way for the country to have an anti-political dynasty law is through people’s initiative because it is clear that legislators have no intention to support and enact such kind of measure.

At the same time, Brillantes said that he is willing to personally initiate the filing of a petition before the Comelec seeking to ban political dynasties when he retires in 2015.

“That’s [people’s initiative] the only alternative if the legislators don’t want to pass a law, then we the people should,” Brillantes told reporters in an interview after the Senate committee hearing on electoral reforms and people’s participation chaired by Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd.

People’s Initiative is the power of the people to propose amendments to the Constitution, or to propose and enact legislations through an election.

It only requires a written petition signed by at least 12 percent of the total number of registered voters. Of the 12 percent total registered voters, every district must be represented by 3 percent of the registered voters therein

Brillantes said that he is willing to lead the filing of the petition in order to make political dynasties disappear in Philippine political setting.

At present there are two proposed bill seeking to ban political dynasties pending before the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago filed Senate Bill No. 2649 seeking to prohibit spouse or person related within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to an incumbent elective official seeking re-election to hold or run for any elective office in the same province in the same election.

Rep. Teodoro “Teddy” Casiño of Bayan Muna party-list filed House Bill No. 3413, in the House of Representatives seeking the same.

But Brillantes said that if he will have it his way he wants to prevent relatives of an incumbent official to seek any lower legislative post.

“For example if you are a governor your relatives can’t run for any local position lower than the gubernatorial post. If you are a president your relatives can seek any post lower. Same thing for senators,” the Comelec chairman stressed.

Brillantes said that he personally wants absolute prohibition meaning a relative on any incumbent public officials can only seek public post once his or her relative retires from politics.

Article 2 Section 26 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”

Meanwhile, Sen. Koko Pimentel is planning to conduct more hearings on the political dynasty issue and he will hold it on areas of the country where there are prominent political families or dynasties.
Pimentel explained that the move is for the committee to get first hand information from voters in the area why they continue to vote for members of the same family.