Several politicians, including Vice President Jejomar Binay, won’t be able to join the presidential race in 2016 or run for other elective positions if the anti-dynasty bill now pending in the House of Representatives becomes a law, Dasmarinas City Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said.
Barzaga, the vice president for external affairs of the National Unity Party (NUP), noted that Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has named the measure banning political dynasties as among the priority measures he wants passed during the 2nd regular session of the 16th Congress.
House Bill 3587, the proposed law barring political dynasties, prohibits the spouse, or any persons related within the second degree of consanguinity to a reelection-seeking politician, to run for a position in the same election, or to immediately succeed to a position vacated by a family member.
Article 2, Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution prohibits political dynasties “as may be defined by law.”
“If we approve the bill as filed in the committee deliberations, even Vice President Binay cannot run for President because [ her daughter Sen.] Nancy Binay’s term of office would be up to 2019. Thus, he cannot run for President,” Barzaga said.
He pointed out that Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada would also be ineligible to run in 2016 if the anti-dynasty bill in its current version is passed into law because Sen. JV Ejercito would still be a senator at that time.
Barzaga will also be affected by the bill because his wife Jennifer is the incumbent mayor of Dasmarinas City. This means the male Barzaga won’t be able to run for mayor or his wife won’t be able to run as congresswoman.
At the opening of the 2nd regular session, Belmonte, the honorary chairperson of the NUP, urged his fellow lawmakers to “proceed in earnest to examine the merits of (HB 3587), and lay out the parameters of its application towards effective deterrence to the establishment and perpetration of political dynasties in all levels of government.”
The bill, now on second reading in the House, is up for plenary deliberations.