MANILA (2nd UPDATE) — A potential Senate run for three members of the Duterte family — the former president, and Davao City’s mayor and congressman — could see the upper house under the control of more political dynasties, a political analyst said Wednesday, adding Vice President Sara Duterte’s announcement on Tuesday was part of the clan’s attempt to test the waters for the 2025 polls.

Although the 1987 Constitution prohibits political dynasties, Congress has for decades failed to pass a law that would enable the ban.

“Ang nangyayari sa Senado parang magkakamag-anak na,” political analyst Edmund Tayao said on Teleradyo Serbisyo.

(What is happening at the Senate now, it is like a family affair)

FROM THE ARCHIVES: Political dynasties in Metro Manila

Sen. Cynthia Villar and her son Mark have seats at the Senate, as do siblings Pia and Alan Peter Cayetano. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. JV Ejercito are half-brothers.

“Hindi lang mga Duterte ang sabay-sabay na tatakbo sa halalan, nakita natin sa survey napakaraming mga Tulfo ang tatakbo din sa halalan,” Tayao said.

(The Dutertes would not be the only ones who will be running together. We have seen in surveys that many of the Tulfos might run in 2025.)

The Tulfo family has four members in the 19th Congress: Sen. Raffy Tulfo, ACT-CIS party-list Reps. Erwin and Jocelyn, and Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Ralph.

“Ngayon lang nauuso na sabay-sabay na tatakbo ang magkakapatid,” Tayao said.

READ: Lawyers’ group files petition vs political dynasties before SC

He added, however, that announcements of potential runs for office are just politicians testing the waters.

“Less than one year na lang ang eleksyon ,pero filing na ng Certificates of Candidacy sa October,” he said, adding potential candidates seem to still be trying to get a sense of the political landscape.

Another political analyst believes that the vice president's announcement uncovers the political view of the Duterte family.

"If it is not a joke, I see it as a disrespectful to our democracy, disrespectful to our electoral process, quite frankly, disrespectful to our voters. Para kasing sinasabi nilang ‘tatlo kaming tatakbo that means apat kami, apat kami sa gobyerno. Saka sabay-sabay, in your face. Kahit anong gusto naming gawin, pwede naming gawin," said Atty. Michael  Yusingco, Senior Fellow of the Ateneo Research Center.

If the Dutertes will really run for the Senate altogether, the chances of more qualified senatorial aspirants winning will be slimmer, Yusingco said. He also doubts if the former president can still serve the country.

"Come on, you don’t look strong enough to come to Manila on a regular basis, anyway. Look at the way you move. You're 80 (years old) plus. You've even served the country for many, many years, even as president. Why serve the country in a position that clearly you don’t want to," he said.

From the standpoint of LENTE (Legal Network for Truthful Elections), one cannot be prevented from seeking a political post if he or she is qualified. Such a right, however, should also be balanced with a well-thought decision, according to LENTE Executive Director Rona Ann Caritos.

"Karapatan nung tatlong Duterte kung gusto nilang tumakbo sa halalan. Pero kailangan din nating tandaan na ang Senate, a nire-representa nya ay national interest. So, kung titingnan natin kung tatakbo at papalarin ang tatlong Duterte, three out of the 24 members ng Senado ay manggagaling sa iisang pamilya," said Caritos.

"So, kung reason ay mas maraming marerepresenta sa national level na mga interes, mga concerns, yung challenges, hindi nya nami-meet yun," she added. "Kung botohan for example sa isang particular interest, particular on national issue. Hindi naman lalayo sa isa’t-isa yung pagboto nila eh. So, yun bang mga desisyon na gagawin nila, will it be representative ng mas maraming tao, o kung ano rin lang yung nire-representa ng pamilya o nung area, for example ng Davao region." 

DE LIMA: RESPECT SPIRIT OF ANTI-DYNASTY PROVISION IN CONSTITUTION

Speaking on ANC’s “Headstart”, Sen. Leila De Lima said Vice President Duterte’s announcement could just be a gimmick or distraction from other political issues.

“My initial reaction is to doubt the seriousness of that announcement,” she said, adding it came just a day after a Muntinlupa court acquitted her on the last of the drug cases filed against her by the Duterte administration.

“It’s very disheartening that we could see these things again happening… meron na namang isang dynasty na papasok na naman sa national level… because Congress has been derelict in its duty supposedly to enact an anti-dynasty law,” she said.

She said that while there is still no law defining political dynasties and barring them from elections, “the least [that politicians] can do is respect the spirit and philosophy of the Constitution.”

In an interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo earlier Wednesday, De Lima said that if former President Rodrigo Duterte does run for senator, it would show he does not mean the things that he says.

“Ilang beses na niyang sinasabi na wala na raw siyang balak sa pulitika tapos biglang ganyan,” she said.

(He has said so many times that he has no more political plans, and then he will suddenly do that)

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Former President Duterte and Vice President Duterte were both last-minute candidates for national office, with both initially saying that they would run for mayor of the family’s bailiwick Davao City.

Tayao said that a Senate seat for former president Duterte would be a sure thing if he decides to run but that voters might reject candidates from the same clan running together.

“Tuwing eleksyon nagbabago yung voting behavior at lalo na nakikita ng tao na bakit sabay-sabay at parang ganoon na lang palagi ang nangyayari pagdating ng halalan,” he said.

(Voting behavior changes every election and people might wonder why similar family names seem to be running together and all the time.)

He added: “I’m inclined to think na hindi magiging maganda ang dating sa mga botante ang therefore they will have second thoughts voting for them.”

(It might not look good to voters and they might have second thoughts about voting for them.)

Poll watchdog warns: Watch out for mega dynasties

Meanwhile, former Senator Kiko Pangilinan -- who is said to be eyeing a Senate comeback -- said one should not take the vice president's pronouncements very seriously, given their family's record.

"Hintayin nalang natin yung filing dahil tulad sa maraming pagkakataon sa nakaraan pa-bago-bago at pa-iba-iba ang mga salita nila sa usapin ng mga plano sa eleksyon," Pangilinan said in a text statement.

Former senator Panfilo Lacson also prefers to just wait for the October 1 to 8 filing of Certificate of Candidacy (COC), as he expressed his doubts that VP Sara’s claims are not yet final. Lacson is also being wooed by many to return to the Senate.

"The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Like the father, the daughter believes that part of smart politics is to confuse and keep their probable competitors guessing; create an issue that evokes discourse thus accomplishing awareness while getting a glimpse of the pulse of the electorate," Lacson said.

Former Senate President Vicente Sotto III who is also perceived to be eyeing a political comeback chose to keep mum about the development.    

"Let's wait for the deadline of the filing of candidacies then we can comment," Sotto, in a text message said. -- with Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News