Lacson pushes anti-dynasty bill as electoral reforms chair

Metro Manila, Philippines - Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has confirmed his new post as chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation, where he plans to revive the long-standing proposal to ban political dynasties.

In a text message to reporters on Wednesday, July 30, Lacson said Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero offered him the post through Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

“I have accepted,” Lacson said.

Lacson, a member of the five-member minority bloc alongside Senators Sotto, Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, and Migz Zubiri, is the first in the group to be assigned a committee chairmanship.

“I will schedule as soon as possible my Anti Political Dynasty bill,” he added.

Lacson’s bill, filed on July 2, seeks to prohibit political dynasties by banning close relatives of incumbent elected officials from running for public office under certain conditions. The measure defines a political dynasty as the “concentration, consolidation, or perpetuation of political power by persons related to one another.”

“No spouse or person related within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half blood, to an incumbent elective official seeking re-election shall be allowed to hold or run for any elective office in the same city and/or province in the same election,” the bill states.

The second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity includes one’s parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren.

If the incumbent holds a national position, their relatives will be disqualified from running in the same province where the official is a registered voter.

The bill also disqualifies candidates who are related to each other within the second degree—including their spouses—from running for office in the same city or province, even if they are not related to the incumbent.

The measure also prohibits any person with a political dynasty relationship from immediately succeeding an incumbent official, with the sole exception of barangay officials.

The 1987 Constitution explicitly prohibits political dynasties, but no enabling law has been passed by Congress—an institution largely composed of lawmakers who come from political dynasties themselves.