Editorial
By Manila Standard Today
By Manila Standard Today
We can understand why Vice President Jejomar Binay is defensive these days.
The moves to pass a law prohibiting political dynasties would certainly put a damper on the vice president’s own empire building.
Already, Binay—who has made no secret of his presidential ambitions—has one daughter serving as a congresswoman representing the city of Makati, where his son is also mayor. Next year, another Binay daughter will be running for the Senate. Some time ago, Binay’s wife also served as Makati mayor.
All this would not be a matter of concern if it weren’t for a constitutional ban on political dynasties.
In no uncertain terms, Section 26 of the Declaration of Principles and State Policies states: “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”
To the eternal shame of the Congresses that followed the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, nobody has actually passed a law to define what a political dynasty is, giving every well-connected clan in politics an excuse and legal cover to do what the Mafia did so well—keep it all in the family.
The vice president says he is against the constitutional ban because it would deprive the nation of talented people who happened to come from the same family. This may well be so, but Mr. Binay needs to be reminded that as a constitutionally elected official, he has an obligation to uphold and defend the Constitution—not only the parts that he believes in, but the basic law of the land, in its entirety.
That there is no law as yet is no excuse for flouting the clear intent of the Constitution, particularly by someone who aspires to the highest office in the land.
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, the author of an anti-political dynasty bill, put it succinctly when she said: “No less than the Constitution prohibits political dynasty, and yet the vice president’s family continues to contravene the highest law of the land.”
Of course, Binay is not alone in his dynastic ambitions. Many influential families continue to flout the constitutional ban on political dynasties by placing their family members in key government positions. There is already a brother and sister in the Senate; next year, there may be fathers and sons, as well.
But even schoolchildren learn early in life that it is not all right to do something simply because everybody else is doing it. Perhaps Vice President Binay, who failed to show true leadership and statesmanship in this regard, missed that particular lesson.
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