The situation, in brief
House Minority Leader and Caloocan City 2nd District Rep. Edgar “Egay” Erice on Saturday said the Anti-Political Dynasty bill filed by House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos was “worthless” and “unconstitutional,” arguing that it runs counter to the intent of the…
House Minority Leader and Caloocan City 2nd District Rep. Edgar “Egay” Erice on Saturday said the Anti-Political Dynasty bill filed by House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos was “worthless” and “unconstitutional,” arguing that it runs counter to the intent of the 1987 Constitution.
While there are now at least 10 versions of the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill in Congress, Erice said the version filed by Speaker Dy and Majority Leader Marcos failed to meet constitutional standards.
“Nung binasa ko ang bersyon nila Speaker at Majority Leader, natawa ako dahil walang kwenta iyon,” Erice said on DZRH News program Special on Saturday. “Hindi iyon lulusot dahil hindi nito tinutupad ang intensyon ng mga framers ng 1987 Constitution.”
According to Erice, a genuine anti-dynasty law must limit the monopoly of political power within families, expand access to elective office for qualified but marginalized citizens, and avoid arbitrary restrictions.
He criticized provisions allowing multiple family members to run for office under the bill filed by Dy and Marcos, saying it does not meaningfully limit dynastic control.
“Hindi nito nililimitahan ang monopoly ng kapangyarihan ng pamilya dahil lima, anim, pito, o walo pa ring miyembro ng isang pamilya ang maaaring tumakbo,” Erice said.
Erice also assailed the use of a fourth degree of consanguinity in the proposal, calling it arbitrary, difficult to enforce, and inconsistent with international standards that focus on immediate family members within the same household.
“Arbitrary ang fourth degree of consanguinity at napakahirap nitong ipatupad. Hindi ito nagbibigay ng equal opportunity sa mahihirap ngunit kwalipikadong mamamayan na gustong pumasok sa pulitika,” he stressed. “Unconstitutional ito at isang travesty ng intensyon ng mga framers ng Konstitusyon.”
Erice said political dynasties remain one of the root causes of corruption in the country, enabling monopolies of power, abuse of authority, and repeated cycles of impunity.
He noted that across his five terms in Congress, he has consistently filed anti-political dynasty bills and has personally confronted entrenched political clans in Caloocan.
“Nalabanan ko ang apat na malalaking political dynasties sa Caloocan, kaya alam ko ang galaw ng mga political dynasties,” the House Minority Leader said. “Sa loob ng limang Kongreso na dinaluhan ko, palagi kong unang isinusumite ang Anti-Political Dynasty Bill.”
Erice recalled that during the administration of the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, his proposal passed the committee level but was eventually archived in plenary due to pressure from political families.
“Natuwa ako nung in-announce ni Presidente (ang kanyang suporta para sa anti-dynasty bill), pero may caution din ang katuwaan ko dahil alam ko na hindi basta papayag ang mga political clans,” Erice said.
Erice’s proposal, he recalled, limits a family to two elective positions—one national and one local—within the second degree of consanguinity, saying it would curb dynastic monopolies while opening the political system to wider participation.
“(Noong panahon ni President Aquino), naipasa ko ang panukalang batas sa committee level noon, pero nang dumating sa plenary ay na-archive din dahil sa pressure ng mga political clans,” he lamented.
