(Last of two parts)

The Sanggunian Kabataan (SK) law and Bangsamoro Electoral Code define and prohibit political dynasties. However, these laws only cover the SK and Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.

In national and local elections, clans continue to consolidate political and economic power.

Based on the electoral plans for May 2025 of district representatives belonging to political dynasties, here are five ways they are able to stay in power.

1.  Max out term limits

The Constitution allows politicians to hold local office for three consecutive three-year terms or a total of nine uninterrupted years.

In the current 19th Congress, 142 district representatives are reelectionists belonging to political dynasties , PCIJ’s count shows. They represent more than half of the 253 district seats.

The entire province of Ilocos Norte is dominated by reelectionist dynasts, with presidential son Ferdinand “Sandro” Marcos (first district) running for a second term and his uncle Angelo Marcos Barba (second district) fighting for a third term.

Since the Marcoses returned to the Philippines in 1991, they have uninterruptedly reigned over Ilocos Norte’s second district. But the first district was only recently captured by the clan in the 2022 elections, when Sandro Marcos beat Ria Fariñas, a member of a rival political family.

In Leyte, each of its five congressional districts is held by a different political dynasty member: Speaker and presidential cousin Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (first district), Lolita Javier (second district), Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon (third district), Richard Gomez (fourth district) and Carl Nicolas Cari (fifth district). They all plan to keep their posts. 

Other provinces where all districts are represented by reelectionist dynasts include Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental in the Visayas, and Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur in Mindanao.

Many elected members of political dynasties maximize the three terms.

It is easy for them to get reelected because of the “incumbency advantage,” said political science professor Julio Teehankee.

“If you’re elected, you have all the resources of the state. And if you’re elected as a member of the House of Representatives, you have a pork barrel and all sorts of projects to show to your constituencies,” he said.

“The longer you stay in power, the more likely you will accumulate it … the more likely you will pass it on to your relatives,” Teehankee said.

Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) Executive Director Rona Ann Caritos said many incumbent officials are guilty of abusing state resources to aid their campaigns.

Lente defines abuse of state resources (ASR) as “the misuse of government resources—whether material, human, coercive, regulatory, budgetary, media-related, or legislative—for electoral advantage.”

These commonly take the forms of social welfare programs and the use of government transportation, she said.

Caritos said Comelec can do its part by monitoring how state resources are reduced during election campaign seasons. “We’ve managed to convince Comelec to take on monitoring ASR hopefully in the 2025 elections… That’s another step also of somehow tempering the political dynasties,” she told PCIJ.

2. Seek higher positions, swap with relatives

What happens when their terms run out? There are those who seek higher office, like many of the incumbent senators who started their careers in the House of Representatives.

Others do not wait.

Las Piñas City Rep. Camille Villar is seeking a Senate seat after two terms in the House of Representatives. She is swapping places with her mother, Sen. Cynthia Villar, who is sliding back to run for a seat in the House of Representatives.

It is Sen. Villar who is reaching her term limit in the Senate next year. She dropped initial plans of running for mayor of Las Piñas.

It’s the same for Lanao Del Norte Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo, who will run for governor in 2025. He is swapping positions with his mother, Gov. Imelda Dimaporo, whose third term will end next year.

PCIJ research shows that 67 outgoing district representatives have opted to seek higher positions or switch positions with family members. Nearly half of them are term-limited.

In Masbate, a father and mother will swap roles with their children as district representatives.

Outgoing Masbate Gov. Antonio Kho is running for first district representative, a seat currently held by his son Ricardo Kho, who is joining the gubernatorial race. Antonio’s wife, Vice Gov. Elisa Kho, will contest her daughter Olga “Ara” Kho’s congressional seat in the second district.

Ara is eyeing the mayoral post of Masbate City, while her brother Wilton Kho seeks reelection as third district representative.

In Valenzuela, neophyte Kenneth Gatchalian is gunning for the position of first district representative, a seat previously held by his brothers Senator Win, Valenzuela Mayor Wes, and most recently Rex, who resigned when he was appointed secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Marikina Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro seeks to replace his wife, Rep. Maan Teodoro (Marikina City, first district), in the House. The same scenario is true in the city’s second district, where former deputy speaker Miro Quimbo is contesting his wife Rep. Stella Quimbo’s seat. Both wives will face off in the mayoral race.  

In Negros Oriental’s third district, a Teves has held the congressional seat since its creation in 1987, a legacy now set to continue with Janice Teves Gaston, aunt of expelled Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., running for the seat. He was removed from office following allegations of involvement in the assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo. 

Elsewhere, political families are fielding their sons as candidates: the Silverios in the first district of Bulacan, the Collanteses in the third district of Batangas, and the Barzagas in the fourth district of Cavite. In each case, the sons are set to replace their congressmen-parents, who themselves succeeded one another.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri’s wife Audrey Zubiri is running for the seat of her father-in-law Rep. Jose Maria Zubiri Jr. in Bukidnon’s third district.

Without a law prohibiting political dynasties, the term limits sped up the entry of the next generation of dynasts, said Teehankee.

Before martial law, he said there were only a few political dynasties because there were no term limits. A politician could occupy the same positions for as long as he is reelected. “The framers of the constitution introduced term limits, thinking it would deepen democracy [and] open up the seats for non-dynastic candidates.”

“That was a toxic combination. You introduce term limits without antipolitical dynasty legislation. It accelerated the rise of dynasties. The unintended consequence was that they multiplied,” Teehankee said.

3. Expand to new provinces, cities and towns

Political families have also expanded their influence to other provinces to consolidate their power, which Caritos referred to as “franchising.”

“They’re not content with their original territory, so they expand as well to nearby territories,” she said.

Mark Cojuangco, from the prominent dynasty in Tarlac, is seeking reelection as Pangasinan’s first district representative. His wife, former mayor and congresswoman Kimi Cojuangco, is a native of Pangasinan.

The Cojuangco dynasty began with patriarch Eduardo “Danding’’ Cojuangco’s election as Tarlac governor in 1967. Since then, other family members have held various political positions.

The Suansing family holds sway in both Nueva Ecija on the main island of Luzon and Sultan Kudarat in Mindanao.

Term-limited Rep. Horacio Suansing Jr. (Sultan Kudarat, second district) is passing the torch to his daughter Bella. His other daughter Mikaela is running for reelection as Nueva Ecija’s first district representative, a seat previously held by her mother Estrellita.

In Taguig City’s second district and San Juan City, sisters Amparo and Ysabel Zamora are seeking reelection as representatives, respectively. They are daughters of former San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora. 

4. Intra-family rivalry

Rivalry heats up in several provincial districts as family members vie for the same positions, mostly likely securing the seat within the family.

In La Union’s first district, the congressional race is a face-off between Joy Ortega and her cousin, incumbent Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V.

Similarly, in Iloilo’s fifth district, Niel Tupas Jr. is challenging his sister-in-law Binky Tupas, wife of outgoing Rep. Raul Tupas, for the same seat.

In Nueva Ecija’s second district, siblings Mario Salvador and Micaela Salvador Violago, wife of incumbent Rep. Joseph Violago, are vying for the same position.

Former elections commissioner Luie Guia likened these family rivalries to the boxing sport. They serve only to entertain the voters, he said. In the end, Guia said, voters are not sure if one winning over the other will bring change.

5. Join the party-list system

Political dynasties have also been occupying party-list seats in the House of Representatives, which has allowed clans to hold up to three seats in the legislative chamber.

Many family members of incumbent district representatives are running in the party-list race.

Speaker Romualdez, who is seeking reelection as Leyte’s first district representative, is introducing his son Andrew to politics through the party-list system. The younger Romualdez is set to replace his mother Yedda as first nominee for the Tingog party-list group. Yedda is the sixth nominee.

Tingog is one of several regional party-list groups that has allowed political clans to expand their political influence.

The Tulfo can also have three nominees in the party-list elections. Sen. Raffy Tulfo’s wife, ACT-CIS Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo is seeking her third term. The senator’s sister, former tourism secretary Wanda Tulfo Teo, is also the first nominee of a new Ang Turismo party list group. Teo’s son is the third nominee.

The flawed party-list system has been criticized as a “backdoor” to the House for political dynasties and big businesses.

Caritos said adding an antidynasty provision in the Party-List System Act could prevent political families from taking advantage of the system. But like the passage of an anti-dynasty law, she isn’t hopeful that this will be passed in the near future.

Read more: That’s entertainment in politics

First published in CoverStory – October 30, 2924

After ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, his protégés—Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go—are most likely to be arrested next for the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the “war on drugs” and brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to former senator Antonio Trillanes IV. 

“Bato is sure to get it. Bong Go is almost there. If there’s a third one, it will most likely be General [Oscar] Albayalde,’’ said Trillanes, who is back in the country after his attendance at an ICC conference in The Hague in the Netherlands.

The warrants will be issued late this year if not early next year, the ex-senator told CoverStory on Thursday.  

“Their names should be there,” he said, referring to the document detailing the three counts of murder as a crime against humanity filed by ICC prosecutors against Duterte and his alleged co-perpetrators.

Trillanes has been “facilitating witnesses and transmitting documentary evidence” to the ICC since he filed a communication in 2017 prodding the court to investigate Duterte for possible crimes against humanity. 

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV — PHOTOS BY TJ BURGONIO

Go was special assistant to Duterte when he was mayor of Davao City, where he launched his crackdown on suspected drug users and pushers. As President, Duterte cast a wider net, with then Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dela Rosa and, later, Albayalde, as chief implementors.

Dela Rosa and then Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II were mentioned by the ICC prosecutors in their “pre-confirmation brief” explaining the specific charges against Duterte.

The defense team of the 80-year-old ex-president, detained at the Scheveningen prison in The Hague since March, has moved for his interim release. The ICI has indefinitely postponed his confirmation of charges hearing originally set on Sept. 23 to determine his fitness to stand trial.

A ‘cabal’ of personalities

Human rights lawyer and ICC assistant to counsel Kristina Conti said that as far as Duterte’s supposed co-perpetrators are concerned, the court is “looking at a cabal” of personalities.  

“There are at least three police officials,” she told CoverStory also on Thursday, citing the heavily redacted pre-confirmation brief. “There are three or four appointed officials, [including] one who is significantly close, one a friend. There are eight personalities, or eight entities at least, mentioned, and Bong Go could be one of them.’’  

Dela Rosa, then Davao City police chief handpicked by Duterte to head the PNP, ranks up there as chief implementor, Conti said. If the pre-confirmation brief was used as a basis, it’s clear he was “co-perpetrator alongside Duterte,’’ she said.

But until she read the pre-confirmation brief, she had questions about whether Go “rises to the level of most responsible,” Conti said.   

“Bong Go seems to have been involved in giving rewards,” she said. “If his role was cerebral, like how much to give and how to give, that’s possible. But if he’s a mere orderly or utusan, he could be in [the category of] aiding and abetting.”   

Dela Rosa, Go and Albayalde have maintained their readiness to face ICC investigation over the drug war.

The two senators were among those who voted Wednesday night in favor of the adoption of Senate Resolution No. 44 appealing to the ICC to grant Duterte house arrest on humanitarian grounds.

Citing Duterte’s advanced age and supposed deteriorating health, the 15 senators urged the court to designate a physician to examine the former leader and ascertain his fitness to withstand detention.

‘No effect’

The senators’ action was “expected,” Trillanes said. “They are politicians; they want to court the political base of the Dutertes which they see as fanatical voters. They don’t want to lose that when they run [for election] whether in 2028 or in the future.” 

“It has no effect,’’ he added. “[Duterte’s detention] can’t be undone regardless of what the Senate does, or even if they’re able to convince the Marcos administration to make a similar call to the ICC. It has no binding effect on the Pre-Trial Chamber.’’

The resolution was signed by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano. Senators Imee Marcos, Robinhood Padilla, Rodante Marcoleta, Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, Sherwin Gatchalian, Loren Legarda, Erwin Tulfo, JV Ejercito, Panfilo Lacson and Mark Villar voted in favor of it. 

Senators Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros and Kiko Pangilinan voted against it. Senate President Tito Sotto and Sen. Raffy Tulfo abstained.  The other senators were not present during the voting. 

Conti called the Senate resolution a total failure—“semplang na semplang”—that could even backfire on the defense team’s move to get Duterte released to a third country.

“It’s just noise,” she said. “It’s irrelevant. It’s nothing for the defense right now. But it could be a basis for the prosecution to support its claim that Duterte still enjoys nationwide clout.’’ 

Trillanes sees the resolution as “part of a script” and a communication plan “to gain sympathy” from a section of Philippine society.

For Conti, it’s a “fitting end’’ to the narrative woven by Duterte’s lawyers and family about his state of health over the past months—from being supposedly “skin and bones” to being “cognitively impaired” and even to “falling unconscious.”

Human rights lawyer Kristina Conti

‘Absolution’

Even so, Conti said, she is “shocked” not only by the Duterte team’s ignorance of court processes but also its “absolution” of his crimes.  

“This is VIP treatment for someone who is on trial for very serious crimes and someone who has not shown remorse for his crimes,” she said. “This Senate resolution is something short of an absolution. It brushes aside the crimes that he’s being charged with.”  

According to the three counts of murder as a crime against humanity filed by ICC prosecutors against Duterte, he was an “indirect co-perpetrator” in the killing of at least 76 people in his “war on drugs” when he was Davao City mayor and, later, president. 

The Philippine government pegs the number of the EJKs at 6,000, but rights groups say the lives of as many as 30,000 mostly poor Filipinos were snuffed out.

Today, Oct. 4, the remains of eight of those killed in the brutal antinarcotics drive will be laid to rest in an inurnment at the Dambana ng Paghilom (Shrine of Healing) at La Loma Cemetery in Caloocan City. The ceremony organized by the Buhay ang People Power Campaign Network for the bereaved families also marks the closing program of the Justice for All drive calling for accountability for and remembrance of state-sponsored violence.

Meanwhile, the ICC’s Registry, which oversees the Scheveningen prison, said it lacks the authority to declare whether Duterte is physically and mentally fit to appear in court for the pre-trial proceedings.

The state of Duterte’s physical and mental health “really has to be determined by an expert, and ultimately, it’s the court who will say that he’s not fit for trial,” Conti said. “It’s both a medical and a legal construct.”

First published in CoverStory — October 4, 2025

Senate President Vicente Sotto III — PHOTO BY BULLIT MARQUEZ

Senate President Vicente Sotto III has refuted rumors on social media that his leadership is in peril, saying that he continues to hold the trust of the majority in the chamber.

“Solid yun 15 namin,” Sotto told CoverStory on Sunday when asked about rumors circulating online that Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano is poised to replace him in Monday’s session.

“We usually talk, and we have a majority Viber group. All is well,” Sotto said of the majority bloc made up of 15 senators. Cayetano’s minority bloc consists of 9 members. With 24 senators, a vote of 13 is needed to claim the Senate presidency.

What has fueled the rumor of the change in leadership is Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s statement that he intends to quit the chairmanship of the blue ribbon committee on Monday. Lacson is on top of the inquiry into anomalous flood control and infrastructure projects, and his committee has produced witnesses—officials and contractors of the Department of Public Works and Highways—testifying that lawmakers, including three senators, had received multimillion-peso kickbacks from them.

According to Sotto, trolls on social media are behind the talk that a Senate leadership coup will take place on Monday. “We were laughing about it because we don’t have a session tomorrow,” he said.

Sotto said the Senate had earlier announced that it would not hold session for the entire week so that the senators could focus on hearings on the proposed 2026 national budget, which tend to be suspended because of the 3 p.m. session.

“We announced [the suspension of the session] last week. Shows you that socmed trolls don’t follow mainstream media reports,” the Senate president said.

On Lacson’s decision to quit the chairmanship of the Senate blue ribbon committee, Sotto said his colleague had become frustrated with a situation in which people complain or get angry whether or not he holds a hearing on anomalous flood control projects.

“Anyway, there are a lot of things [from the past hearings] that can be forwarded to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Independent Committee on Infrastructure (ICI), to aid them in performing their mandates,” Sotto said. 

Many of the witnesses called to testify by the blue ribbon committee, led by former public works undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, had turned over to the DOJ and the ICI their sworn statements linking lawmakers and other government officials to kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects amounting to billions of pesos. 

Asked who could replace Lacson as chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee if he goes ahead and quits, Sotto said the majority bloc would still talk about it.

“Ping’s choice will have an edge if indeed he resigns,” Sotto said.

First published in CoverStory — October 6, 2025