Nancy Binay (Right) Grace Poe.

Manila Times/Makati

Senator Nancy Binay yesterday said the proposed enabling law that will put teeth to the constitutional prohibition against political dynasties should cover the entire government system and should not be limited to elective positions.
Binay, eldest daughter of vice president Jejomar Binay, was reacting to a part of President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s Sona on Monday where he made a pitch for the anti-dynasty bill.
The senator said having a policy against family members being appointed to different departments in the executive branch is also important considering that their appointment is based on the discretion of one person.
She added that if there will be a law that would disallow families who want to serve the people through elective posts there, there should also be a policy that would prevent members of families holding positions in various departments of the government simultaneously.
“There should be a law on appointments because it is not the will of the people,” Binay pointed out.
She refused to give names when asked if she could give an example of a family whose members were appointed to various government offices.
Records, however, show that members of the Aquino cabinet have relatives occupying elective posts and and/or appointed to various government positions.
Budget secretary Florencio Abad’s daughter, Julia, heads the presidential management staff, and son Luis used to be the chief of staff of finance secretary Cesar Purisima. Abad’s wife, Henedina, is the congressional representative of Batanes and is deputy speaker of the house of representatives.
Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala has eight relatives in the government. His brother, Vicente, represents the second district of Quezon in the house of representatives.
Meanwhile, senator Cynthia Villar said that even if senate managed to pass its version of the anti-dynasty bill, the possibility of it becoming a law is dim as it might face strong opposition from the house of representatives.
She added that it would be difficult for the anti-political dynasty bill to get support from congressmen because many of the members of the chamber have relatives holding elective positions.
“I believe that to be able to pass the law, it should be passed by the house first,” Villar said.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel 3rd, chairman of the senate committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation, earlier said he would be filing a substitute anti-political dynasty bill to expand the coverage of the measure.
Pimentel added that under his substitute bill, only one member of a family will be allowed to hold a national position.
Senator Grace Poe will declare her intention to seek the presidency after president Benigno Aquino 3rd has announced the administration party’s standard bearer in the 2016 elections.
An fact, an informant from Poe’s camp claimed that the resignation of senator Francis Escudero from two powerful senate committees yesterday is an indication that the Poe-Chiz tandem is a done deal.
“She is running 100%. Chiz has emphasised delicadeza in quitting his posts. By delicadeza he means other government officials who are definitely seeking higher elective posts next year should follow suit,” the source, a lawyer, told The Manila Times.
Another Poe camp insider, said the “period of discernment” where the senator is now should be taken to mean that “she’s almost there”.
“A few more things and that’s it. Declaration (to run for president) is just around the corner,” the source, a former government official, said.
The first source, whose group is tasked to defend Poe from all sorts of legal challenges, including questions about her citizenship, said Aquino’s “anointment” is likely to come first before the official announcement of the Poe-Chiz team up.
Aquino has repeatedly insinuated that Roxas will be his most likely successor. A palace official recently told the Times that the president has already made up his mind on Roxas but that Aquino really wanted Poe to run with the interior and local government secretary.
Asked if there are still last-ditch efforts from Aquino to convince Poe to run with Roxas, the lawyer replied: “None. The matter is non-negotiable from the start. She wants to run with Chiz.”
Saying he is seriously considering running for a higher position in next year’s elections, senator Francis Chiz Escudero yesterday relinquished his powerful positions in the Senate to insulate budget deliberations from politics.
“I would rather be criticised for abandoning my responsibility as head of the senate finance panel than to be accused of having no delicadeza [propriety] or using my position for my personal interest,” the senator told reporters.
“It is a very powerful committee but because the national budget is at stake, I decided to resign for propriety’s sake,” the senator said.
Escudero–who has been meeting with president Benigno Aquino 3rd to firm up plans for the 2016 elections–is chairman of the senate finance committee and co-chairman of the joint congressional oversight committee on public expenditures.
Escudero said he is giving the option to run for higher office serious thought, adding that he has not yet made up his mind on what post he will be gunning for.
Last month, he confirmed that he and senator Grace Poe have talked about their possible team-up in the 2016 balloting.
The two senators have been leading pre-election presidential and vice presidential surveys.
Escudero’s term as senator ends in 2019.
In his letter to Senate President Franklin Drilon, he explained that his public pronouncements regarding a possible candidacy for higher office requires him to step down to ensure that the deliberations on the proposed General Appropriations Act (GAA) are “untainted by suspicions or perception of partisan politics.”
“It is, Mr. President, what propriety requires; it is, I believe, what our people expect from us all: delicadeza [propriety] ,” Escudero said.
Drilon commended his fellow senator’s action.
“His resignation is a deft political move. This early, he will be able to fend off any possible accusations that the 2016 national budget is being designed to help his candidacy,” the Senate chief said.
Drilon assured that the Senate’s handling of the 2016 national budget will not be affected by Escudero’s resignation and the GAA will be passed on time, in order to ensure uninterrupted flow of services and programs to the people.