FORMER Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Panfilo “Ping” Lacson filed their respective certificates of candidacy (COC) on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, as they seek to make a Senate comeback in the 2025 midterm elections.
Reelectionists Lito Lapid and Imee Marcos also filed their COCs.
Marcos, the elder sister of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., was accompanied by their mother, former First Lady Imelda and her two sons.
Sotto, Lacson, Marcos and Lapid are all included in the senatorial slate of the administration.
Senator Francis Tolentino, who was also endorsed by the administration, filed his COC on Tuesday, October 1, the first day of the filing.
Marcos and Lacson earlier maintained that they will run as independent candidates.
Marcos said she is choosing to stand alone so that her brother will no longer be put in a difficult position, and that “my true friends won't have to hesitate.”
She reiterated that she will also remain “free and loyal” not to any group, but to every Filipino people she committed to serve without favor.
Sotto, a former senate president, said should he secure a senatorial seat, he will push for the passage of bills that would “right-size” the government, combat fake news, and provide 14th month pay for workers.
“60 plus percent of the budget of government every year, more than P6 trillion, goes to personal services. And a big chunk also of the 40 percent goes to net servicing. So almost nothing is left to be given and distributed to our people. So rightsizing of government really is a very important thing that we should do,” he said.
Lacson, for his part, said he will continue his campaign against pork barrel “in any form and shape.”
As of October 1, the Commission on Elections said 17 individuals filed their COCs for the following positions:
Senators - 17
Member, House of Representatives - 59
Governor - 16
Vice Governor - 12
Member- Sangguniang Panlalawigan - 129
Mayor - 325
Vice Mayor - 299
Member, Sangguniang Panlungsod/Bayan - 2,392
A total of 18,280 elective posts are to be filled for the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.
The filing of COC will last until October 8. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)