De Lima Leads Nominees Of LP-Backed Party-List

The once-ruling Liberal Party (LP) is fielding stalwarts, including former senator Leila de Lima, in next year’s party-list elections.

LP’s sectoral wing, the Mamamayang Liberal (ML), will officially join the party-list race with De Lima as its lead nominee.

Former congressmen Teddy Baguilat of Ifugao and Erin Tañada of Quezon, both ranking LP officials, will be the party-list’s second and third nominees, respectively.

De Lima, in an interview with “Storycon” on One News on Friday, Sept. 20, said LP’s decision to join the party-list race was a “strategic move,” especially with the expected tight race in the Senate.

“As a sectoral wing of LP, this could be the platform where LP could further broaden its base,” she said. 

“We want to project a more dynamic national party. While it is a traditional party, we want it to be more dynamic and more receptive and more cognizant of the present situation, with two powerful blocs fighting it out. That is why, through ML, we can further that,” she added.

The former senator clarified that the party-list, as the sectoral wing of LP, is distinct from the political party.

De Lima said it has members from various sectors, including women, youth, farmers, fisherfolk, workers, indigenous peoples, LGBTQIA+ and the urban poor.

De Lima, who is currently LP’s spokesperson, initially had no plans of running in next year’s polls. She said her colleagues in the LP urged her to reconsider.

“I assessed the situation. The pragmatic in me told me that I should go for party-list instead of senatorial,” said De Lima.

“Through this platform of a party-list, I can pursue further the main advocacy of social justice for all of these sectors, side-by-side with promoting and pursuing the core values of the LP: freedom, democracy, justice, social justice, anti-corruption, transparency, accountability and good participatory governance,” she said.

Opposition

Despite the emergence of two opposing political blocs following the split of the UniTeam of President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte, De Lima maintained that LP and its allies are still the “true and genuine” opposition.

She noted that the de facto leader of the opposition is Sen. Risa Hontiveros of Akbayan, which is allied with the LP.

This is also the reason why the party rejected calls to ally itself with the Marcos administration.

“There are issues that are still unresolved… It’s basically on principles that we are really not inclined to align politically with the BBM (Bongbong Marcos) group,” she said.

During its National Executive Council meeting, the LP also endorsed the candidacy of former senator Francis Pangilinan for the Senate.

The LP is also expected to support at least two other candidates for the Senate: former senator Bam Aquino, a former LP member who is now with Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino, and lawyer Chel Diokno, who recently joined Akbayan.

Former vice president Leni Robredo, meanwhile, will run for mayor of Naga City.

Lakas-CMD

The Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats named yesterday re-electionist Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., its chairman, as its official senatorial candidate in the May 2025 midterm polls.

Revilla’s nomination is contained in Resolution No. 3 adopted during the party’s national convention presided over by Speaker Martin Romualdez, the party’s president.

The convention also adopted Resolution Nos. 1 and 2 – one designating its regional chairmen and another authorizing its secretary general, Agusan del Norte Rep. Jose Aquino II, to submit to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) its authorized signatories and their specimen signatures for nominating candidates in next year’s polls, respectively.

Romualdez gave assurance that Lakas-CMD will remain as President Marcos’ reliable partner in pushing for policies and reforms that would benefit every Filipino.

In nominating Revilla, Lakas-CMD said it “understands the importance of the May 12, 2025 national and local elections as the next leaders must support the legislative agenda of the President to usher sustainable economic growth, good governance and the continuity of social, cultural and economic reform policy.”

For his part, Revilla thanked the Lakas-CMD for fielding him as the party’s senatorial candidate. 

“With beaming pride and gratitude, I humbly accept this nomination to be its candidate for senator in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections,” he said.

The senator credited Romualdez for “again making Lakas the ruling party.”

Comelec yesterday said the names of party-list organizations that will be allowed to participate in the May 2025 polls may be released next week.

The Comelec said the filing of List of Nominees, as well as the Certificate of Nomination and Certificate of Acceptance of Nomination will run from Oct. 1 to 8.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the petitions for accreditation are being resolved based on merit. “This is amid the persistent allegations that those giving bribes or using ‘connections’ are the only ones getting the Comelec’s nod,” he added. – With additional reports from Cecille Suerte Felipe, Sheila Crisostomo and Rhodina Villanueva