Warlord Ism and Political Dynasties Version 1

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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) R

espect for democratic rule as governance isdone 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 thecounter-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 occupymany 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 sonout 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 keylegislation like the land reform program



Question

How can both administration and

opposition officials stand for ³daang

matuwid´ if who ignore the democraticvalue 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 theHouse. 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,R

enren(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 IlocosSur: 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 Ampatuansand 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 thathelp 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 TR APO, warlordism

and ptaronage politcs. What we lack in is the

individual haggiographies of these dynastiesand 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)

Warlord Ism and Political Dynasties Version 1

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