Makabayan bloc refiled anti-political dynasty bill
Under House Bill 209 filed by ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio and Kabataan Party-list Representative, a political dynasty is defined as a family or clan that concentrates, consolidates, or perpetuates their political power by holding public office simultaneously or successively.
The bill states that no person shall hold or run for any elective national or local office simultaneously with another within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half blood.
It adds that no person within the prohibited civil degree of relationship to an incumbent elected official shall immediately succeed to the position of the latter.
Under the bill, any person running for any elective public office shall file a sworn statement with the Commission on Elections stating that they do not fall under the prohibition.
It states the Comelec, motu proprio or upon verified petition, shall disqualify the candidates found violating the Act and their votes, if any, shall not be counted. The violator shall not be proclaimed and allowed to assume office.—Tina Panganiban-Perez/AOL, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
5 hours ago
- GMA Network
House bill eyes senior, PWD discounts on top of 'promo offers'
A bill granting 20% discount and 12% Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption to senior citizens and persons with disabilities on top of any "promotional offer" has been filed at the House of Representatives. The proposed measure provides that 'the discount granted to senior citizens and persons with disabilities, including the 20% discount and exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) on goods and services, or the special discount on purchase of basic necessities and prime commodities, will be in addition to any prevailing promotional offers or discounts extended by business establishments, if any, has been provided, but in no way that it will require presentation of booklets in the procurement of goods.' Further, the bill states that a promotion or discount offered by a business establishment to the general public will not be considered in compliance with Section 4 of the Senior Citizens Act as amended and Section 32 of Magna Carta for Disabled Persons as amended. House Bill 16 was filed by 19th Congress House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who was reelected as Leyte Representative in the last elections. Tingog party-list Reps. Andrew Julian Romualdez and Jude Acidre co-authored the bill. 'This bill aims to preserve the preferential treatment accorded to senior citizens and persons with disabilities by mandating the State to adopt an integrated approach on how to make essential programs and other social services available to them in an attainable and convenient manner,' said Romualdez. 'This is in line with the state policy of promoting a just and dynamic social order that shall ensure the nation's prosperity and free its people from poverty,' the authors added. A similar bill covering promos on discounts for purchases made by senior citizens and PWDs was filed in the 19th Congress by then Reps. Joey Salceda of Albay, Rodolfo "Ompong" Ordanes of Senior Citizens party-list, and Alfelito "Alfel" Bascug of Agusan del Sur. This bill was approved by the House on third and final reading in May 2024, but the Senate did not pass a similar measure. The First Regular Session of the 20th Congress opens on July 28. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
5 hours ago
- GMA Network
NTF-ELCAC urges House to reconsider bill penalizing ‘red-tagging'
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Friday called on the House of Representatives to reconsider the bill penalizing 'red-tagging.' In a statement, the anti-insurgency task force's Legal Cooperation Cluster (LCC) pointed out that the possible punishment for red-tagging may be used against legitimate government actions against rebels. 'The NTF-ELCAC, through the LCC, therefore urges Congress to carefully reconsider House Bill No. 213,' the task force said. 'Instead of introducing vague new offenses, we call for the strengthening of existing legal remedies and support for institutions that protect both national security and civil liberties,' he added. Red-tagging is the practice of accusing people and groups of having ties to communist rebels or terrorist groups. The NTF-ELCAC said that without clear legal standards, the bill risks punishing constitutionally protected speech and creating a 'chilling effect' on lawful disclosures, especially those with verified intelligence and testimonies from former insurgents. 'By seeking to criminalize this term without statutory clarity or proof of actual harm, the bill invites abuse, misapplication, and political weaponization,' the task force said. 'Such an approach risks shielding genuine threat actors behind legal ambiguity while penalizing public servants for performing their sworn duties,' it added. The NTF-ELCAC stressed that public officials are duty-bound to warn communities about security threats. 'Criminalizing such disclosures weaken national security efforts and obstruct the government's mandate to maintain peace and order,' it said. In House Bill 213, party-list representatives Antonio Tinio of ACT and Renee Co of Kabataan cited the Supreme Court's ruling in 2024 that red-tagging poses "threats to a person's right to life, liberty, or security." 'This judicial affirmation validates the lived experiences of activists and the long-held position of human rights advocates that red-tagging is a direct and credible threat that warrants decisive legislative action,' the lawmakers said. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Group calls for good governance, transparency amid VP Sara impeachment issue
Several senator-judges vote in favor of returning the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives, after the Senate convened as an impeachment court earlier in the day, on June 10, 2025. Joseph B. Vidal/OSP An anti-corruption group on Thursday called for transparency and good governance in public service amid the issue of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment. In a press release, Democracy Watch Philippines (DemWatch) said it has convened student leaders from 16 universities and various youth-led non-government organizations in Metro Manila to promote good governance as well as to urge the youth to partake in civic engagement and political participation. 'Transparency isn't just a buzzword—it's the frontline of accountability. If we don't know what our leaders are doing, how can we hold them responsible? If public service is cloaked in secrecy, can we still call it democratic?' DemWatch convenor Lloyd Ian Zaragoza said in a press release. 'We must understand who these politicians are and what they are scared of. It's actually the voters. It's us, the people, who hold the power to elect and are empowered to hold them accountable,' he added. The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5 with more than 200 congressmen endorsing the verified complaint against her, which has been transmitted to the Senate for her impeachment trial. The Senate sitting as an impeachment court however voted last June 10 to return to the House of Representatives the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte without dismissing or terminating the case. Duterte entered a 'not guilty' plea in the verified impeachment complaint filed against her, which she called merely a 'scrap of paper.' Zaragoza, meanwhile, pointed out that the issues surrounding the impeachment case were supposedly muddled by misinformation. He cited the importance of empowering the youth as the next generation of voters to raise awareness on relevant social issues and put public pressure on leaders to serve honestly. 'You are not a silent generation. You are asking the hard questions. You are calling out injustice. You are not here to inherit a broken system—you are here to help fix it,' said Zaragoza. — BM, GMA Integrated News
