House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos defended the House version of the Anti-Political Dynasty bill, stating that the current version is a result of compromise to secure sufficient support from lawmakers. He emphasized that criticisms of the bill are legitimate but noted that stricter provisions could have led to a lack of votes.
Compromise to Secure Votes
According to Marcos, consultations with party leaders revealed that a more stringent bill might not have garnered enough support. He admitted that many House members belong to political dynasties, making compromise necessary to advance the measure.
Bill Not Final
Marcos clarified that the House version is not final, as it will still undergo Senate deliberation and a bicameral conference committee. He stated that provisions deemed inadequate or unacceptable could still be amended. He also mentioned that he has not yet read the Senate version, so he cannot comment on its provisions, including the proposed ban on political succession.
Priority Measure of President Marcos
The Anti-Political Dynasty Law is one of the priority measures pushed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Majority Leader Sandro Marcos expressed doubt that the Senate will adopt the House version, highlighting that each chamber will have its own debate and provisions. He stressed that passing the bill in the House is just the start of the conversation, not the final law.
“I highly doubt that the Senate will adopt the House version. So they have their own debate, their own provisions, their own version. When they pass their version, there will be a bicameral conference, and then another opportunity to amend whatever provisions the upper house thinks are inadequate or not tenable to the Filipino people. So to answer your question, it was really a matter of getting it through already na ipasa natin dito sa House to get the conversation started. This is not the final result of what the bill will be. Hindi po ito batas. This is just the version that we in the Lower House were able to produce and garner support for. Because had it been more strict, baka hindi tayong makakakuha ng boto,” Marcos said.
