Joselito Malig

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Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Lawmakers from the House minority and a political scientist have pointed out loopholes in the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Act filed by House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and the President&#x27;s son, House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos. Political Science Prof. Julio Teehankee said an acceptable limit for members of a political family holding public office is two — one serving at the national level and another at the local level. But he observed that the proposed ban on political dynasties under House Bill 6771 is unclear on the maximum number of family members that can simultaneously occupy elective national and local posts.“Hindi niya sinasabi kung ilan sa magkakamag-anak ang pwede at hindi pwedeng tumakbo. Sa ibang versions ng batas na iminumungkahi ay sinasabi nang deretso na no two members of the same family within the 4th degree can run and hold office,” Teehankee said.“Ang isa pang pagkalatag ng kanilang listahan ng bawal tumakbo ay ayon sa teritoryo, or hierarchical territory, sa national, local, provincial municipal, city o brgy. Kaya lang, hindi malinaw, paano kung may overlapping constituencies, hindi ka nga tumakbo sa isang distrito o sa ibang probinsya. Kailangan linawin ito. Kung hindi iisipin ng mamamayan at mga nagmamasid na ito ay mga loophole, at ito again, ay isang malaking pagpapanggap lamang na mayroong tinutulak na anti-political dynasty pero ito ay malamya at hindi malinaw at lalong magpapalakas sa mga dinastiya,” he added.House Bill 6771 defines “political dynasty relationship” as “an existing familial relationship with an incumbent elective public official, such as a spouse, direct ascendant or descendant, sibling or any other person related within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity whether legitimate or illegaitimate, full or half-blood”.It proposes these particular prohibitions:1. If a person is an incumbent or candidate for any elective national position, the spouse and the above relatives are prohibited to hold any elective national position.2. If a person is an incumbent or candidate for the position of Member of the House of Representatives, the spouse and the above relatives are prohibited to simultaneously hold the same position within the same legislative district.3. If a person is an incumbent or candidate for any elective provincial position, the spouse and the above relatives are prohibited to simultaneously hold any elective position in the same provincial government.4. If a person is an incumbent or candidate for any elective city or municipal office, the spouse and the above relatives are prohibited to simultaneously hold any elective position in the same city or municipal government.5. If a person is an incumbent or candidate for any elective barangay office, the spouse and the above relatives are prohibited to simultaneously hold any position the same barangay.<div> </div><div>DECEPTIVE?</div>For House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Edgar Erice, the measure is against the Constitutional provision prohibiting political dynasties, adding that it will only legitimize them.“Under their proposal, a family can have 5 sitting public officials simultaneously. One senator, for example, one congressman, one governor, one mayor and one barangay captain… It’s not an anti-political dynasty bill. It’s a bill that legitimizes the existence of political dynasties, and I think it is against the provisions of Article 2 Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution,” he said.Lawmakers from the lower chamber’s Makabayan bloc believe the bill is “lacking and deceptive”“Lubhang kapos at mapanlinlang ang bagong panukalang batas kaugnay ng mga political dynasties dahil nililimithan lang nito ang pagsasabay ng mga magkakamag-anak sa parehong national at local positions pero maaaring magkaroon pa rin ng mga magkakamag-anak basta iba-iba ang pusisyong tatakbuhan nila,” they said.“Halimbawa, maaaring sabay uupo ang mga magkakamag-anak na senador, congressman, gobernador, at mayor, o kaya ay presidente, congressman, gobernador at mayor. Maaari ding magkakamag-anak na congressman basta iba-ibang distrito. Ang maipagbabawal lang ay magkakamag-anak na sabay uupo bilang senador o magkakamag-anak na sabay uupo bilang provincial or local official,” Makabayan solons added.ML Party List Representative Leila De Lima also warned that if the measure is enacted, fat dynasties can still exist.“Nililimitahan lang nito at hindi naman talaga pinipigilan ang pag-iral o pamamayagpag ng political dynasty.Paano kung sa lahat o majority sa anim na elective positions from the National to the Barangay level, may galing sa iisang pamilya na sabay-sabay tumakbo at nanalo?Malinaw na political dynasty pa rin yun, a fat political dynasty!” she said.“There are several versions of this bill filed in the House, and this will still undergo deliberations. We will push for a genuine anti-political dynasty measure that will truly democratize access to public office, which will also help put an end to systemic corruption, prevailing impunity, and the injustice that comes with the dominance of very few families in government,” de Lima added.More than 10 anti-political dynasty bills are pending at the House of Representatives. The House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reform targets to begin tackling them in January.

Teehankee said the proposed ban on political dynasties under House Bill 6771 is unclear on the maximum number of family members that can simultaneously occupy elective national and local posts.

Teehankee said the proposed ban on political dynasties under House Bill 6771 is unclear on the maximum number of family members that can simultaneously occupy elective national and local posts.

'Loopholes' flagged in House leaders’ anti-political dynasty bill

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'Loopholes' flagged in House leaders’ anti-political dynasty bill

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 11, 2025 07:10 PM PHT

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House of Representatives

Anti-Political Dynasty Bill

political dynasties

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