Palace says Miriam's presidential bid good for voters

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang welcomed the decision of Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago to run for president next year.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Santiago's participation in the 2016 race will benefit voters.

"Sen. Santiago's entry in the presidential race provides voters a wider latitude of choice as she has carved a public service record spanning more than two decades in all three branches of government," he said.

Santiago announced this afternoon that she will file her certificate of candidacy for president on Friday.

The senator said she will team up with a politician who has declared his vice presidential bid.

She will be running under the People's Reform Party which she founded in 1991.

Santiago first run for president in the 1992 elections but lost to former President Fidel Ramos amid allegations of poll cheating.

The veteran official will be gunning for the presidency for the second time following the regression of her stage 4 lung cancer.