A REPRESENTATIVE from progressive groups said that they are planning to file disqualification cases at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) using the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Law to disqualify members of political dynasties.
Teodoro “Teddy” Casiño, Bagong Alyansa Makabayan (Bayan) chairperson, said that if their case fails at Comelec, they will raise it to the Supreme Court level. He said that aside from legislation, they see another opportunity in legal action to push for the Anti-Dynasty prohibition in the constitution.
Casiño added that once the bill on the Anti-Dynasty campaign is filed, they would accompany it with a grassroots campaign to pressure congressmen and senators to vote in favor of the bill. He said they would employ various mobilization methods, such as signature campaigns, lobbying legislators, people’s assemblies, and million-people marches to pressure Congress.
He added that they are looking into the SK Law, wherein Congress has defined Political Dynasties as “members of the family to the second degree of consanguinity in the Philippines.” In theory, the stipulations under the SK law should not be exclusive to the SK officials but also to other officials in position.
“Sabi sa SK Law, hindi pwedeng tumakbo sa SK kung kamag-anak ka to the second degree of a Philippine consanguinity ng mga existing incumbent officials na mapapailalim sa jurisdiction (It is stipulated under the SK Law, that an SK candidate should be prohibited to run if they have relatives who are incumbent officials under the same jurisdiction),” he said in a media interview, on Wednesday morning, October 23 2024, at Yellow Hauz, Davao City
“If it’s applicable to the SK, it should be applicable to all positions, that is the general theory or principle,” he continued.
Casiño said that they are still finalizing the list of candidates they will file disqualification against, but that the Dutertes are at the top of their list. He cited that in the upcoming elections, former President Rodrigo Duterte, the grandfather, will be running for mayor, while his youngest son will vie for vice mayor; the eldest son will run for Congress, the grandson for Congress, and the other grandson for councilor. He added that while they cannot file cases against all the dynasties in the Philippines, at least there would be samples. Should they succeed in filing disqualification cases, then it would mean that the law could be applied to all.
He explained that in the SK Law, SK officials are no different from other elected officials in the country and that the definition of a political dynasty in the said law should not be different when it comes to other positions in the government.
Casiño said that in their latest survey, 60 percent of Filipinos correlate corruption with political dynasties and 60 percent are okay with the existence of dynasties.
He furthered that for Filipinos to understand why they must put an end to dynasties, they will show the effect of political dynasties in their locality especially in the abuse of power and how political power translates to economic power.
The group said they initially plan to file the disqualification cases at Comelec in November 2024 after the finalized list of candidates is released. RGP
