COMELEC exec calls for law banning political dynasty in party-list groups

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 9) — An official of the Commission on Elections on Thursday called for the enactment of a law that will prohibit scions of political dynasties or relatives of incumbent officials from representing party-list groups.

"Political dynasties really thrive not only by vying for regular seats, but also in the party-list system. I hope there will be a law that will reform this and at least prohibit the nominees who are related to a sitting, elected official within the third degree or the fourth degree," COMELEC Commissioner Rowena Guanzon told CNN Philippines' On The Record.

"Limit the nominees to people who are not related to incumbent elected officials," she added.

But for now, Guanzon said, the poll body cannot ban incumbent officials or those related to them from running as party-list nominees since it has been allowed by the Supreme Court.

In 2013, the SC ruled that political parties and groups can join party-list elections despite not representing a marginalized sector.

"There's no disqualification even if they are immediate family of politicians, and that's the problem kasi the SC has already ruled..," Guanzon said.

"We cannot do anything about that because that's the Supreme Court ruling. We have to abide," she added.

In this year's midterm elections, 134 groups are vying for 59 seats at the House of Representatives.

According to election watchdog "Kontra Daya," at least 39 of these party-lists have nominees hailing from political families while 13 have nominees who are incumbent officials.

The group's convenor, Danilo Arao, lamented that some politicians used the party-list system to maintain their hold of power in the government.

"The party-list system has become a backdoor for the rich and powerful to further entrench themselves to the House of Representatives," Arao said on the program.

"Sometimes the party-list system is a mechanism for incumbent officials to take a breather, so they can go back to local executive," he added.