Ley Kamyl B.

Gimongala JD-1

POLITICAL DYNASTY

For a long period of time, families and relatives entering politics became dominant
and accustomed by the Filipino people who used to elect officials by reason of sure name and
family background.
It has been a question and issue to our present Constitution whether Political Dynasty
exist in the Philippines.
The term Political Dynasty has not yet defined by the Constitution or any laws of the
land.
Under the 1987 Constitution Article 2 Section 26 “The State shall guarantee equal
access to opportunities for public service and prohibited political dynasty as defined by law.
Thus, it only prohibits but no provision under the Constitution or any law has been passed to
define what is Political Dynasty, but in a recent article in Inquirer. Net there is a proposed
amendments to the 1987 Constitution being pushed by the Inter- Agency Task Force on the
Constitutional Reform. It states that political dynasty exists when a family whose members
are related as spouse and up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether such
relations are legitimate, half, or full-blood, maintains or is capable of maintaining a political
control by succession or by simultaneously running for or holding elective positions.
Basically, the proposed document or amendment is not to add or reconstruct Section 26 under
Article 2 it is to define Political Dynasty.
There are cases that challenges the Constitution and political families who seats in the
public office. An example of a case is the disqualification cases filed against Duterte and
other five political dynasty. In the case at bar, the Commission on Election (COMELEC) says
in an interview that the Supreme Court had already defined the meaning of a Political
Dynasty in order to disqualify Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for being “clear and
obvious” political dynasts. The COMELEC argues that they are clear and obvious which
means a single position like Mayor, Congressman, or Governor while her son runs for Vice
Governor, and they said it is the first type where the candidate “seeks to replace and
succeed.” They contend that the Supreme Court defined political dynasty in the case of
Navarro vs. Ermita as “phenomenon that concentrates political power and public resources
within the control of a few families whose members alternately hold elective offices, deftly
skirting term limits.” According also to the COMELEC, the Supreme Court decision is part
of the law of the country. Thus, the definition of political dynasty by the Supreme Court is a
definition of the term under the Constitution. But the COMELEC chairman Sixto Brillantes
did not agree with the petition, he argued that the COMELEC has no Jurisdiction to
dismissed anti-dynasty moves.
In the given argument where in the COMELEC emphasized that the definition by the
Supreme Court is considered the meaning of Political Dynasty under the Constitution. The
Constitution is the fundamental Law of the land which serve as basis of all other laws. All
laws, bills, presidential decrees, Supreme Court decisions and even ordinances are in
accordance with the Constitution.
In order to understand more about Political Dynasty, it is good to learn about other
form of Government such as Monarchy compared to Democracy.
Succession is inherent in Political Dynasty it is usually exercised by Monarchial form
of government wherein the King or Queen in order to maintain the Royal Family and their
power, he will appoint a member of his family to succeed the throne, in here, people have no
privilege to either elect or choose a deserving leader. Monarchy is far different from a
Democratic and Republican Country wherein sovereignty resides in people.
The Monarchial Government is ruled by a single person. The ruler achieves his
position as head of the State through appointment, succession and heredity. The people have
no privilege to nominate and elect nor be elected in a position in the government. Their
government Consist of the Head of State which is the King and the Head of the Government
which is the Prime Minister being appointed by the King. While in Democratic Government,
the Country is ruled by the President through election. Under the 1987 Constitution, Article V
which is the Suffrage, there are qualification imposed for those who are aiming to serve the
as public official in order to secure their allegiance to the country. This qualification is an
indication that the country is maintaining the essence of democracy as well as protecting one
of the basic rights of the Filipino people which is the right to vote and to be voted upon.
Election is very vital in Democracy; wherein Filipino people celebrates enjoying the
privileges they deserve. According to Article 2 Section 1 of the Constitution, the Philippines
is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people and all other
government authority emanates from them.
Therefore, the comparison between monarchy and democracy is an example to
determine the possibility of Political Dynasty in the Philippines since we are enjoying our
political rights as well as social rights and privileges given by the Constitution although these
are not absolute rights, this will preserve the Country’s democracy.
There are more arguments with regards to the Political Dynasty among present
politicians. Other people now commenting and overviewing that this system of the
government is letting Families elected in all government positions or succeeding the office is
not already a way of helping the people but this became a habit. Some also argues that
politics is now a business of those influential families to maintain their power and when their
term ends, they will encourage one member of their family to run for public office. Because
of this obvious act of public officials, people would conclude that Political Dynasty was
definitely exist and that people are being controlled by these political dynasts.
I am now raising a question whether or not these families are clear and obvious
political dynasts?
I have read an article about Political Families. In this article it differentiates the
Political Dynasty and the Political Clan. As mentioned above Monarchy exercises political
dynasty because it was inherent in their government. In my own understanding, Political
Dynasts are those in the Royal Families. Political Clan are those families elected in different
offices of the government. But dictionaries and other sources considered it still a political
dynasty.
 In an issue raised by the Senate hearing on the anti- dynasty bill, Mendoza makes a
distinction between what he calls fat and thin dynasties. Fat dynasties have more than two
and even 20 clan members occupying the government offices all at the same time. While the
latter are content with having members succeed each other in office. According to Mendoza
whether it is fat or thin dynasty, the democracy now is threatened and will slowly die.
As mentioned earlier we have basic rights that we must enjoy and one of our basic
rights is the Suffrage and the power to choose the most deserving leader. We Filipino people
made them seat in the government office it is in our hand to make our Country better.
Through their platforms during campaign and the help they offered, we became the judge
who will screen them and it is in our will whether we make that family seat at the same time.
My opinion is, the Constitution prohibits only but did not define what is Political
Dynasty unless the provision has amended. This provision of the Constitution emphasizes
that our country remains democratic. In further analyzation, as long as we have freedom to
vote a particular candidate then therefore Political Dynasty is not possible. My basis is our
Constitution is based on the American Constitution which promotes democracy and all of its
provisions is for the general welfare of the people and Political Dynasty cannot be practice in
a democratic government.