Caloocan Representative Edgar Erice emotionally criticized the House's 'diluted' anti-political dynasty bill as a 'sham' during the first day of plenary deliberations on Tuesday, March 17. He argued it would institutionalize dynasties rather than end their power monopoly. Bill sponsor Lanao del Sur Representative Zia Alonto Adiong defended the proposal.
In Manila, Philippines, tensions rose during the House of Representatives' first plenary deliberations on the anti-political dynasty bill. Caloocan 2nd District Representative Edgar Erice struggled to contain his emotions while slamming the majority-backed proposal as 'diluted.' “Hindi ito anti-political dynasty law. Ito po ay isang budol (This is not an anti-political dynasty law. This is a sham),” Erice said. “It will institutionalize political dynasties.” The current version limits political dynasty relationships to the second degree of consanguinity, allowing cousins, nephews, aunts, and uncles to run simultaneously or succeed a politician. It also clusters prohibitions, permitting families to field candidates for national, provincial, municipal or city posts, and multiple congressional positions at once. Erice argued this would not end the power monopoly in dynast-ruled areas. Sponsor Lanao del Sur Representative Zia Alonto Adiong, who chairs the suffrage committee, countered: “Monopoly (occurs) when the power to appoint resides to and is exercised by one person. That is monopoly. But we allow people to vote.” Erice raised his voice while noting that districts of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s cousin Martin Romualdez and son Sandro Marcos received the highest national budget shares. Deputy Speaker Raymond Mendoza, presiding, admonished him: “May I remind the gentleman to bring down the decibels a bit. Shouting will not do us an advantage here.”
