Warlordism and Political

Dynasties


A Discussion by Prof Yusuf Morales
 One of the last vestiges of
Warlords

Is the political arena

It legitimizes their rule over their areas
traditionally claimed in the name of rulership,
royalty and lineage
Warlordism is associated to several issues...


Control of the machineries of the state that
includes the security sectors (PNP and AFP)

Respect for democratic rule as governance is
done brazenly with impunity wherein their rule
is a hallmark of lawlessness
 Traditionally warlords ....


Commonly said to be ”sui generis” as they
interpret the ”rule of law” in the manner of their
perceptions and caprices

The source of these warlords has been their
lineage...whether perceived or real

These sway they held was a sort of a feudal
influence/grip they had over the masses
 Nowadays... the source of their power


Lies in the three ”G”

Implied importance in the scheme of things in
the national security apparatus (allies in the
counter-insurgency campaigns)

Proximity to the ”powers that be” (remains to be
seen if they will be challenged by the cantral
government).
 As of the moment...


250 political dynasties (families) who have dominated
Philippine politics at the national and local level and who
have monopolized political power as families for the past
30 years and more. This is 0.00001667 % of the country's
15 million families (CENPEG, 2007).

     3. Each of the country's 80 provinces have political
dynasties competing with each other for national and local
elective positions. Dynasties have also expanded to
monopolize many appointive positions.

Politics is a family affair, so that from the
national to the local level, we see long family
histories of political rule. Husbands, wives, sons,
daughters, and close relative occupy many
public offices; during elections we likewise see
them all running for public office.

 

     5.
 The Philippine center for Investigative
journalism states that...


2/3 of the members of the 8th to 12th Congress
belong to political dynasties. We can just take a look at
the Philippine Senate where we have combinations of
brothers and sisters, mother and son, father and son
out of only 24 members of the upper chamber. This is
why if a few families control Congress, they tend to
legislate in favor of their own interests to the detriment
of the majority of Filipinos. Look what happened to key
legislation like  the land reform program
 Question


How can both administration and
opposition officials stand for “daang
matuwid” if who ignore the democratic
value of "equal access to opportunities for
public service" at the national and local
level.?
 A typical Example

Diosdado Macapagal - Philippine President (1961-65)

     Cielo Macapagal -  Salgado - (daughter of Diosdado )
-Pampanga Vice Governor ( 1988-92; 1995-98)

     Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo - (daughter of Diosdado)
Philippine President (2001-2010), Congresswoman 2010-
present

     Mikey Arroyo (son of Gloria) -lelected PL Congressman
former Rep. 2nd District, Pampanga; former vice governor,
Pampanga.

     Diosdado "Dato" Arroyo (son of Gloria) - Rep. , 1st
District, Camarines Sur;

     Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo (Gloria's brother in law) -
reelected Rep. , 5th Dist. Negros Occidental.
 Cayetanos before 2010

two Cayetanos in Senate and another in the
House. The Senate seat used to be occupied
by the senior "Companero" Cayetetano ; now
Alan Peter (who was Congressman 1998-2007)
has joined sister Pilar "Pia" Cayetano Sebasian
who has been senator since 2004  up to 2010.
Alan Peter's wife, Laarni has taken over his
House seat, while a brother of Alan, Renren
(councilor, 2004-2007) was elected vice mayor
of Muntinlupa.

Laarni now is mayor of Taguig       
 Singsons


Luis "Chavit" Singson(Congressman, 1987-92;
Ilocos Sur governor 1998-2007) lost in his 2007
bid for a Senate seat, the Singsonfamily dynasty
is  well entrenched in Ilocos Sur:  Chavit
Singson's son, Ronald is congressman, 1st
district, Ilocos Sur; cousin Eric is congressman,
2nd district, Ilocos Sur; brother Jeremias is now
vice governor ; niece Eva Marie Singson-Media
was reelected mayor of Vigan together with
Allen Singson, son of Eric, now mayor of
Candon.
 On the Mindanao Front


Ampatuan family (the perpetrators of the Maguindanao
Massacre)

Lanao del Sur - Alonto, Lucman, Adiong, Dimaporo,
Macarambon, Dimakuta 

Lanao del Norte - Badelles, Lluch, Cabili 

Sultan Kudarat - Mangudadato 

Cagayan de Oro City - Emano 

General Santos City - Antonino

Zamboanga City- Lobregats
 Each Dynasty gained opportunities by:

Local monopoly of Political power

Change in administrations and power shifts

Joining the shifts in National Power

Acting as the local power hustler (in the case of the Ampatuans
and other local dynasties in Mindanao)

Coming from the landed families, some were cronies from way
back during the Marcos regime up to the present. In the ARMM,
many are from the prominent landed datu class, are warlords
and have private armies or the backing of an armed group that
help them maintain influence.
 Relationsship between national
and local trapos

National parties=alliances of local Trapos
who act on the basis of political
accomodation

Governance becomes distorted and
democratic rule is a sham as a result
 researches


Enough research and realizations have already
been done on the effects of TRAPO, warlordism
and ptaronage politcs. What we lack in is the
individual haggiographies of these dynasties
and the effects of their specific activities as
most paid biographies are sanitized although
the ones who may have done the research may
have access to much in depth sources.
 What is to be done


P-articipation of CSO's actively in the political
arena (people power)

A-dvocacy through education (popular
education and DG's)

C-ommunity participation and empowerment
(people empowerment)

T-ransformation of the electoral arena through
alternative politics (politics by the people)