THE National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) on Monday called on Congress to disqualify the relatives of all elected incumbent officials from running for office under the party-list reforms instead of limiting the dynasty ban to the second-degree relatives.
“This [dynasty ban] must be extended to cover relatives of all incumbent elective officials at every level of government. Local political families use party-list organizations as readily as national ones,” NAMFREL said in a press statement.
NAMFREL also called on the Congress to consolidate the strongest provisions of the House and Senate bills on party-list reforms at the bicameral conference committee.
The group added that both bills complement each other, with House Bill No. 9906 focusing on the reorganization of the party-list system in the sectoral, advocacy, and regional aspect while the Senate Bill No. 2090 seeking to reserve 50% of the party-list seats for the traditional marginalized sectors such as the farmers, fisherfolk, laborers, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and others.
“These bills do not contradict each other. They are complementary instruments addressing the same crisis from different angles,” NAMFREL said.
Aside from expansion of the dynasty ban, the election watchdog also called on Congress to impose criminal penalties for nominees, party-lists, and organizations who would submit false declarations instead of only disqualifying them.
They also pushed for a publicized registry of the nominees including their statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth, corporate affiliations, government contract records, and other declarations.
The party-list reform is among the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council priority measures. — Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel
