Bicam panel omits anti-dynasty provision in BBL proposal

FILE: According to Drilon, the said provision will “not really curb dynastic behaviors.” (Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

The bicameral conference committee set to consolidate and settle the differences of the upper chamber and lower chamber bill versions of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) omitted the anti-political dynasty provision.

This was confirmed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero on Monday, July 9.

“The adoption of the supposed anti-dynasty provision in the Senate version was strongly opposed by some members of the panel. As a form of protest I did not argue and push for its adoption anymore because the provision, as crafted, is useless,” Drilon, who initially proposed the inclusion of the now-deleted provision in the Senate version, said in a text message to reporters.

“It is a much weaker provision than that provided in the SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) law,” he added.

According to Drilon, the said provision will “not really curb dynastic behaviors.”

“It is a hypocritical provision, toothless to address the ill effects of dynasties. We might as well do away with it. What we need is a strong regulation of dynasties applicable to all public officers,” he further explained, adding that he already signed a committee report regulating it.

On the other hand, Escudero said that the provision was omitted because it was selective.

“It applies only to party-list representatives and not to the other members of parliament or other officials of the Bangsamoro. It is, therefore, selective, discriminatory, and ineffective per the Bicam,” he said in a separate text message to the media.

The deleted provision of Senate Bill 1717 Section 15, Article VII states that “no party representative should be related within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to a district representative or another party representative in the same parliament.”

Earlier in February this year, Drilon pushed for the anti-dynasty provision saying that it is an “issue that must be confronted.”

“In the Committee Report, I will push for the inclusion of a prohibition on political dynasties. I am open to discuss the extent of the prohibition, but the anti-dynasty principle must be embodied in the BBL,” he said in a statement then.

Drilon is the author of Senate Bill 230 or the “Anti-Political Dynasty Act.”