Connect with us

Headline

Bicam panel omits anti-dynasty provision in BBL proposal

Published

on

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

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.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Maria in Vancouver

Lifestyle1 week ago

Nobody Wants This…IRL (In Real Life)

Just like everyone else who’s binged on Netflix series, “Nobody Wants This” — a romcom about a newly single rabbi...

Lifestyle2 weeks ago

Family Estrangement: Why It’s Okay

Family estrangement is the absence of a previously long-standing relationship between family members via emotional or physical distancing to the...

Lifestyle2 months ago

Becoming Your Best Version

By Matter Laurel-Zalko As a woman, I’m constantly evolving. I’m constantly changing towards my better version each year. Actually, I’m...

Lifestyle2 months ago

The True Power of Manifestation

I truly believe in the power of our imagination and that what we believe in our lives is an actual...

Maria in Vancouver3 months ago

DECORATE YOUR HOME 101

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Our home interiors are an insight into our brains and our hearts. It is our own collaboration...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Guide to Planning a Wedding in 2 Months

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Are you recently engaged and find yourself in a bit of a pickle because you and your...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Staying Cool and Stylish this Summer

By Matte Laurel-Zalko I couldn’t agree more when the great late Ella Fitzgerald sang “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

Ageing Gratefully and Joyfully

My 56th trip around the sun is just around the corner! Whew. Wow. Admittedly, I used to be afraid of...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

My Love Affair With Pearls

On March 18, 2023, my article, The Power of Pearls was published. In that article, I wrote about the history...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

7 Creative Ways to Propose!

Sometime in April 2022, my significant other gave me a heads up: he will be proposing to me on May...