Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong has defended the House of Representatives’ version of the Anti-Political Dynasty Act, rejecting claims that the proposed legislation is weak or ineffective.
During a television interview, the lawmaker and chairperson of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms asserted that the measure provides a strong framework to counter the concentration of power among political families.
“On the contrary, it actually addresses the very core problem of the monopoly of power exercised by one family within one locality,” Adiong stated.
The lawmaker described the bill as a historic milestone for electoral reform in the country.
“This is a turning point for the past four decades insofar as the public’s desire to make Section 26, Article II fully functional,” he added.
While acknowledging public disappointment regarding some aspects of the bill, Adiong noted that creating a precise legal definition for political dynasties is a complex legislative task.
He emphasized that the proposed law could alter the leadership landscape for more than 1,700 municipal executive positions nationwide.
“We have supplied and provided definition to the anti-political dynasty. Compared to the status quo, where we don’t have actual implementation or policy to restrict candidates within a certain degree of civil consanguinity and affinity relationships, this is a positive development,” he explained.
Adiong explained that lawmakers had to carefully balance the constitutional directive against political dynasties with the democratic rights of the electorate, ensuring the state respects the people’s mandate.
“We have to also balance it out with the constitutional provision that, since we are a republican democratic state, the government power and authorities emanate from the people,” he noted. “The right to elect and to be elected upon is the very core foundation and essence of a republican democratic country.”
He further cautioned against interpreting constitutional provisions in isolation to justify policy positions.
“You cannot just selectively point out one particular provision and then make it as the general rule,” the congressman stated.
The House of Representatives approved House Bill No. 8389 on its third and final reading on June 3, drawing 267 affirmative votes, 20 negative votes, and seven abstentions.
Under the bill, a political dynasty is defined as the concentration of elective power among spouses or relatives within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, banning them from running for or holding elective positions within the same jurisdiction at the same time.