By Meanne Corvera
Eagle News Service
The bicameral conference committee tasked to reconcile Congress versions of the Bangsamoro Basic Law has dropped the provision against political dynasties.
According to Senator Francis Escudero, the joint panel dropped Article VII Section 15 of the Senate’s version of the BBL.
The provision says that “no party representative should be related within the second (2nd) civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to a district representative or another party representative in the same Parliament.”
There is no counterpart line in the House of Representatives’ version.
According to Escudero, the members of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission themselves struck down the provision after finding it “selective, discriminatory and ineffective.”
As for Drilon, he said he did not oppose that the provision be struck down because it only covered party-list representatives.
“As a form of protest, I did not argue and push for its adoption anymore because the provision, as crafted, is useless,” he said.
He said the provision, which he said was “weaker” than the one provided in the Sangguniang Kabataan law, will “not really curb dynastic behaviors.”
“In fact, it is a hypocritical provision, toothless to address the ill effects of dynasties,” he said.
He said a law against political dynasties that covers all public officials was needed.