MANILA — A prohibition covering relatives up to the second civil degree is emerging as the majority position as the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms consolidates 24 anti-political dynasty measures into a single substitute bill.

Committee chair Zia Alonto Adiong said the working draft is House Bill No. 6771, filed by Speaker Faustino Dy III and Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos. The measure has garnered 144 co-authors since it was filed last December.

In a press conference, Adiong said the panel is in the final stages of consolidating the 24 proposals into a unified substitute bill, which will form the basis of its committee report targeted for completion next week.

The consolidation follows public consultations held across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, including stops in Cavite, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro.

“Our responsibility now is to consolidate these varied inputs into a version that is principled, balanced and enforceable,” Adiong said.

“Our goal at the Committee level is to craft an agreeable, constitutionally sound Anti-Political Dynasty law that can gather broad support in Congress and endure legal challenges,” he added.

Debate centers on degree of relationship

Adiong emphasized that the constitutional prohibition against political dynasties is not being questioned. The main issue, he said, is the extent of familial relationships that should be covered.

Of the 24 filed versions, the majority propose a second-degree ban, which typically covers spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren.

Lordan Suan, whose proposal extends the prohibition up to the fourth degree of relationship, acknowledged the practical challenges of enforcing a broader ban and expressed openness to narrowing it.

“Ayaw rin natin ‘yung perfect bill na-based sa preference natin kaso hindi siya mapapasa. Because when we make laws it’s not about personal preference, it’s about collective agreement,” Suan said.

For his part, Nathaniel Oducado said HB 6771 strikes a balance between constitutional intent and political realities.

“So far, I think our group will agree that the best approach is HB 6771 ni Speaker Bojie and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos because it is congruent with the constitutional intent but at the same time it balances it with what is the political reality and what is necessary sa ground,” he said.

Scope of the proposed ban

Under HB 6771, a political dynasty is defined as the concentration or dominance of elective political power by persons related to one another.

The bill covers all elective posts — from President and Vice President to senators, members of the House of Representatives, governors, mayors, and barangay officials.

It prohibits spouses and covered relatives from simultaneously holding elective positions within the same political jurisdiction, barring family members from consolidating power at the same national, provincial, city, municipal, legislative district, or barangay level.