Congressional old-timers and reelectionists filed their Certificates of Candidacies (COCs) on Wednesday, seeking to regain or keep their old posts in the upcoming midterm elections.
On the second day of filing COCs, Senator Imee Marcos, the President’s sister, was first in line at the Commission on Election’s (COMELEC) satellite office at the Manila Hotel Tent City.
Accompanied by mother, Imelda, and her two sons, the reelectionist senator will be running under the Nacionalista Party.
She opted out of the ruling coalition’s senatorial slate desite having been given a slot.
“I file (my candidacy) under my old party Nacionalista, but I am not allied with any group or sector. I look forward to remain free and independent,” Marcos said.
Later in the morning, reelectionist Senator Lito Lapid, as well as Senate old-timers Tito Sotto and Panfilo Lacson showed up together to file their COCs.
Affectionately dubbed by media as the “macho bloc”, the three are running under the banner of the administration’s Alyansa ng Bagong Pilipinas.
Sotto and Lapid are National People’s Coalition (NPC) stalwarts, while cop-turned-politician Lacson is running as an independent.
Lapid, now on his third term as senator, reminded journalists about his accomplishments, including the Free Legal Assistance Law of 2010, also known as the “ Lapid Law.”
For his part, Lacson said he has been enjoying his two-year hiatus but is eager to get back to pubic service.
Meanwhile, the Magdalo Party-list Group seeks a return to the House of Repesentatives with the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte as its battle cry.
Magdalo’s first nominee Gary Alejano said the vice president’s ouster would be the first order of business if his group manages to win a seat at the House in next year’s elections.
“If we win… from the violations [by Sara Duterte] we are seeing, there is a big possibility that we will file an impeachment complaint against the vice president,” he said in Filipino after filing his COC.
It can be recalled that Alejano filed the first impeachment complaint against ex-President Duterte in 2017, but the valiant effort did not fly.
The 20th Congress is scheduled to open on July 1, 2025.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Imee, ‘macho bloc’ politicians vie for Senate seats.”
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