Leila de Lima not running in 2025 midterm elections

MANILA, Philippines — Liberal Party spokesperson and former senator Leila de Lima has ruled out any plans to join the 2025 electoral race.  

De Lima said that she will not seek any electoral position in the 2025 midterm polls as she remains committed to other priorities, including helping the Liberal Party (LP), according to an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Friday.

"I will not join the electoral fray for next year regardless of the position. That is my decision now," De Lima said in a mix of English and Filipino.

With around three months before the official period for filing certificates of candidacy, De Lima said some are saying she might still change her mind.

But the former senator said that she is already handling several matters related to her personal life and advocacies, including helping the LP.

De Lima said on June 30 that her team plans to file counter-charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte and his justice secretary, Vitaliano Aguirre, for pursuing trumped-up and politically motivated charges against her. 

The Duterte critic was incarcerated for nearly seven years based on drug-related charges that human rights defenders said were fabricated in retaliation for her criticism of Duterte's so-called war on drugs. 

De Lima walked free on bail in November 2023 and was cleared of all charges on June 24.

On Friday, De Lima also expressed frustration over the LP's poor showing in recent senatorial surveys. 

The three senatorial candidates backed by the Liberal Party, namely former senators Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan and lawyer Chel Diokno, failed to break into the winning circle of Pulse Asia's survey on senatorial preferences published earlier this week. 

No senatorial survey from a reputable pollster so far has shown the three LP bets at the top.  

"It's frustrating. We are offering qualified.. competent candidates, intelligent, hard working, with good track record, and their integrity is intact. But it's a bit of an uphill battle, at least based on the surveys," De Lima said.

"But the election is still far ahead, that is why the LP is preparing intensively," the LP spokesperson added.

De Lima said the LP is set to hold a meeting next month where they will discuss their strategies to improve the "acceptability and winnability" of their candidates.

More candidates will also be added to LP's senatorial slate, De Lima said.

It's undecided, however, if the LP will be able to field a full 12-member Senate slate, the LP spokesperson added.

"Of course, ideally it should be a complete slate, but it doesn't need to be forced if it's not possible. What's important is that we get a few in," De Lima added. — Cristina Chi