FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
firsf Reoular Session 
v 
Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The purpose of a political party is to serve as a democratic tool by acting as a 
mechanism to offer the electorate options in the ideological composition of their 
government. These parties are the stable of political leaders from which the electorate make 
their choices of the representatives who would make public decisions that embody their best 
interests. Hence, it is a vehicle for voter enfranchisement, civic education and strengthened 
organizational movement on the choice of leaders and government. 
These intended objectives of a political party have been subverted by rampant party- 
switching in the Philippine political system. This practice is so rampant that switching party 
allegiance is already taken for granted. In effect, party-switching has contributed to the 
stunting of the political maturity of the Philippine electorate, and encouraged transactional 
leadership. It has encouraged the cult of personality in the electorate’s choice of elected 
officials and limited the relevance of the party platform to occupying a government post. 
This unfortunate system has resulted to the non-continuity of government plans, programs 
and projects which eventually redounds to disadvantages for the Filipino people. 
As such, this proposed legislation seeks to enhance the quality of our democratic 
institutions by punishing political turncoats and opportunists who flit from one party to 
another depending on the dictates of their selfish motives. This bill also seeks to sanction 
politicians who serve as “Trojan horses’’ by regularly voting against the collective stand of 
the party, without necessarily switching party affiliations as these political opportunists are 
as guilty as the turncoats themselves, by insidiously subverting the strength of the stand of 
their own party. 
The proponent strongly believes that punishing turncoatism would bring about 
greater stability into the Philippine political system because it would ensure that 
membership in political parties will be relatively permanent, and the electorate can expect, if 
not exact, strict compliance from government officials in terms of the promises and 
platforms upon which their political party is grounded. 
In view of the foregoing principles, this bill seeks to define and punish political 
turncoatism and political opportunism. 
Senator 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
7 
SEN 
S. No. 
v
y
 
Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon 
AN ACT DEFINING AND PUNISHING POLITICAL TURNCOATISM AND OPPORTUNISM 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representaiives of ihe Philippines in 
Congress assembled; 
SECTION 1. Declaration of fo/ky. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
promote strong, platform-based political parties, thereby strengthening the political party 
system in the country. 
Sec. 2. Polifical Turncoafism and Opporfunism. - Political turncoatism refers to 
the change of political party affiliation by any party member after having been nominated as 
a candidate in an election, whether or not such party member actually wins in such election. 
A change in party affiliation shall not constitute political turncoatism if: 
a) Made before the effectivity of this Act; 
b) Arising out of the abolition, merger or coalition of political parties where the party 
member is registered; 
c) Due to expulsion in writing of the party member from hidher political party; 
Provided, that the expulsion is not due to an act constituting political opportunism. 
Political opportunism refers to any act constituting disloyalty to the party or regular 
non-adherence to the party's ideological principles, platforms and programs, as determined 
by the party in accordance with its constitution and by-laws. 
Sec. 3. Penalties for political turncoatism or opporfunism. -A political turncoat or 
opportunist shall be: 
a) Deemed to have forfeited hisher office, if he/she is an elected official who 
changes political party affiliation during hislher term of office; 
b) Disqualified from running for any elective position in the next succeeding election 
immediately following the act of changing political party affiliation; 
c) Prohibited from being appointed or from holding any position in a public or 


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government office for three years after the expiration of hislher current term; 
political party; 
plus a twenty-five percent (25%) surcharge thereon. 
d) Prohibited from assuming any executive or administrative position in hislher new 
e) Directed to refund any and all amounts helshe received from hislher political party, 
Sec. 4. Petition to Declare a Polifical Turncoat or Opporfunist - Any citizen of 
voting age, or any candidate, political party, or aggrupation or coalition of political parties, 
may file with the Commission on Elections a petition to declare a political turncoat or 
opportunist subject to the penalties under this Act. 
Sec. 5. lmplementing Rules and Regulations. - The Commission on Elections 
shall promulgate the Implementing Rules of this Act. Such Rules shall be effective fifteen 
(15) days from their publication in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Sec. 6. Repealing Clause. -All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or other 
issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly. 
Sec. 7. Separabilify Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 
remain in force and effect. 
Sec. 8. €ffectlvit$ - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the 
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation 
in the Philippines. 
Approved,