Senate OKs bill barring politicians’ kin from gov’t contracts

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate on Wednesday passed, on third and final reading, a bill prohibiting families of public officials from engaging in government contracts.

Senate Bill No. 1962, or the “Government Contracting and Procurement Integrity Act,” seeks to disqualify from government procurement and contracts relatives of politicians within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity and affinity.

Its main goal is to eliminate “potential avenues for corruption” and “uphold fairness, integrity, transparency, impartiality and accountability” in the bureaucracy’s procurement process and use of public funds.

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Its counterpart measure, House Bill No. 7919, is pending before the committee on revision of laws.

Fourth-degree relatives include parents, children, grandparents, siblings, grandchildren, great grandparents, great aunts and uncles, great niece and nephews, great grandchildren, great great grandparents, great great aunts and uncles, great great nieces and nephews, and first cousins.

Officials include elected local and national officials, Cabinet secretaries, undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, officers and members of government-owned and -controlled corporations, and state universities and colleges, and their alternates.

The measure penalizes violators with imprisonment of up to more than three years, a fine of not less than P100,000 and perpetual disqualification from government procurement.

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A public officer, on the other hand, may face charges for violation of graft and corrupt practices, similar imprisonment term and fines and perpetual disqualification from public office.

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The measure was authored by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, and Sens. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Christopher “Bong” Go, Joel Villanueva, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, JV Ejercito, Loren Legarda and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.

Go, together with former President Rodrigo Duterte, is facing a plunder complaint filed by former Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV with the Ombudsman over the Davao City government’s award of contracts to companies owned by Go’s family. — With a report from PNA /das