Sandro Marcos: Bicam panel can still amend House's anti-political dynasty bill

The anti-political dynasty bill that was recently approved by the House of Representatives on final reading is not yet set in stone as revisions can still be made during the deliberations of the bicameral conference committee, House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos said on Wednesday.

Marcos was referring to House Bill 8389 which bans relatives up to the second degree of affinity or consanguinity from running from public office in the same area of jurisdiction.

The lower chamber passed this on third reading on June 3 with a vote of 267-20-7.

The bill may allow relatives up to the second degree to run and occupy public office at the same time, as long as they serve in different areas of jurisdiction.

This means that a husband can serve as the provincial governor, while his wife may serve as district representative of a certain province since they will have different jurisdictions.

“I am of the opinion and we have seen it… If we make that bill strict; constrictive, mawawala ang suporta ng (it will lose support in the) Lower House,” Marcos told reporters.

“Let’s call it a spade a spade. There are a lot of political dynasties in the House, and I’d be an idiot if I said I wasn’t from one either. Let’s be honest with ourselves here,” said the eldest son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Marcos’ aunt is Senator Imee Marcos while Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez is his maternal uncle.

“Hindi naman ‘yan ‘yung ginawa dahil ‘yan ang gusto namin na ipasa na bill (We didn’t do that because that’s the bill we wanted to pass). Ginawa namin ‘yan (We did that) because that was the limit to gather enough support from the lower chamber,” Marcos said.

“Now, I highly doubt that the Senate will adopt the House version. When they pass their version, there will be a bicameral conference and there will be another opportunity to amend,” he added.

The Senate version of the anti-political dynasty bill was approved at the committee level in February.

The Senate version seeks to prohibit relatives to up to the second degree of consanguinity or affinity from running or occupying public office at the same time, regardless of area of jurisdiction.

Marcos said the House cannot choose to stall such a priority measure just because it was far from ideal, given that it needs to gain enough support in the House to advance to the bicameral conference committee level.

The bicam level is where the differing provisions of the House and Senate versions of the proposed bill are reconciled.

“It was really a matter of getting it through already, fo