Senator Robin Padilla is starting his advocacy against political dynasties, with no less than members of his own family.
Padilla bared this as he stressed anew that now is the time to pass a measure against political dynasties, more than 37 years after the 1987 Constitution mandated it.
“Kung kailangan kami mismo sa pamilya namin ako mismo aaminin ko sa inyo, ang isang kapatid ko pinipilit din na tumakbong senador. Ako na po ang nagsabi sa kanya parang awa nyo na tama na. Tama na,” the legislator said at a hearing on the issue by the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes.
“Sa aking palagay, morally wrong, 117 million tayo. Hindi pupuwedeng iilang pamilya ang pwede magsilbi sa bayan. ‘Yan naman po ay opinion ko lang ‘yan,” the lawmaker stressed.
The senator added he told his brethren that if an anti-dynasty measure becomes law, he will decide not to run for an elective post.
“Sinabi ko sa kapatid ko ‘pag ito pumasa ako mismo unang unang hindi tatakbo.”
“Sinabi ko sa kapatid ko ‘pag ito pumasa ako mismo unang unang hindi tatakbo,” he said.
Also, Padilla reiterated that there is no better time than now to discuss legislation for an enabling law against political dynasties.
“Dapat harapin natin ito ngayon na.”
“Hindi pupwede na ilang taon na itong ‘di pinaguusapan, 37 years na hindi ginawa ng batas patungkol dito. Di natin hinaharap. Di pupuwedeng may bagay na ‘di natin hinaharap. Dapat harapin natin ito ngayon na,” he stressed.
Last Aug. 1, Padilla kickstarted the fight against political dynasties by filing Resolution of Both Houses No. 9, which proposes prohibitions against the candidacy or holding of office of persons in certain situations.
