FORMER president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, former vice president Leni Robredo and former senator Leila de Lima were among those who filed their certificates of candidacy (CoCs) Saturday for various positions in the 2025 midterm elections.

In Pampanga, Arroyo, former president and current Pampanga 2nd District representative, filed her CoC at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in San Fernando City.

Joining Arroyo were Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda, Vice Gov. Lilia Pineda, town mayors and village chiefs of her district.

Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo filed for reelection in San Fernando City. With the former president were Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda and Vice Gov. Baby Pineda. THE OFFICE OF GLORIA MACAPAGAL

Arroyo had earlier ruled out a run for the Senate, saying she was committed to addressing the needs of her constituency and the province of Pampanga.

If re-elected, this will be Arroyo's fifth non-consecutive term at the House of Representatives, having been elected in 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2022.

She won election as senator in 1992 and was re-elected in 1995, but resigned in 1998 after winning the vice presidency. She became president in 2001 after President Joseph Estrada was ousted and became the second-longest serving president in the country until 2010.

In Naga City, Robredo and her running-mate Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Gabriel Borado filed their CoCs for mayor and vice mayor.

So far, she is running unopposed.

Before she filed her candidacy, the former vice president visited the grave of her husband and former interior secretary Jesse Robredo, himself a former mayor of Naga.

The "Team Naga 2025" council consists of incumbent city councilors Jessie Albeus, Gayle Abonal-Gomez, Omar Buenafe, Jose Perez and Ghiel Rosales; former councilor Miles Raquid-Arroyo; City Administrator Elmer Baldemoro; City Budget Officer Frank Mendoza; lawyer Areiz Macaraig; and former city health officer Dr. Butch Borja.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Robredo said she had already decided to run for the post around June or July because she had a passion for grassroots community work.

"I'm really passionate about community work, which is what a mayor should be, not just a manager of a city, but community work is the anchor of a mayor's work," she said in Filipino.

Former vice president Leni Robredo filed her CoC for mayor in Naga City. FACEBOOK PAGE OF LENI ROBREDO

She also said she has no plans to run again for president in the 2028 national and local elections, as it would be unfair to the residents in Naga.

"For me, it'll be unfair to the people of Naga if I use my position as mayor as a jumpoff point [to run for higher office]. I think I won't be effective as a mayor if I think of 2028 right away and that everything is mere public relations... If ever there's an opportunity in the future, it should be based on my performance as a mayor, not because I have plans to run for the national office," Robredo said.

Robredo and her team were also supported by incumbent Naga mayor Nelson Legacion, who is running for 3rd District representative of Camarines Sur, which Bordado held for three terms.

Robredo announced her run on Friday. Her running mate in the previous elections, former senator Francis Pangilinan, will run for the Senate again and will file his candidacy on Tuesday, October 8.

Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto and Vice Mayor Robert Jaworski Jr. on Saturday filed their certificates of candidacy for re-election in the upcoming polls at the Comelec office in the city.

Sotto had his parents, actors Vic Sotto and Coney Reyes, while Jaworski brought his wife, actress and International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, to escort them to the Comelec office as they formalized their candidacy.

Sotto will be running for his third term in office, while Jaworski will run for his second term.

Speaking to reporters, Sotto hit back at the owners of St. Gerrard General Contractor and Development Corp. on allegations that he was "provoking" them.

"That is a very stupid [thing] to say... let me repeat, the investigations went first before they entered politics," Sotto said in English and Filipino.

The current mayor said there were many investigations surrounding the construction company, including fraud, misdeclaration, the use of a dummy, anomalies in different contracts, and even a collapsed bridge that was not even in Pasig.

"To say I'm the one politicking against them, it's not only in Pasig that they have problems; I have to do my job. Whoever is the enemy, regardless of their politics... It's not because you enter politics, you're cleared from wrongdoing or just forget that they broke the law. The investigations must continue," he said.

Cezara Discaya, wife of St. Gerrard CEO Pacifico Discaya II, is expected to face Sotto in the elections under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, with former vice mayor Iyo Caruncho as her running mate.

The St. Gerrard CEO previously told The Manila Times they were entering politics because Sotto was "provoking" them.

The Liberal Party's Mamamayang Liberal (ML) party-list, led by former senator Leila de Lima, filed their certificates of nomination and acceptance (CONA) on Saturday.

Former senator Leila de Lima, first nominee of the Mamamayang Liberal party-list. (PHOTO: MIKE ALQUINTO)

At the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) filing tent at the Manila Hotel, de Lima introduced herself as the lead nominee, along with former Reps. Teddy Baguilat and Erin Tañada.

"We, the lead nominees of the party-list Mamamayang Liberal, the multi-sectoral wing of the Liberal Party (LP), filed [our] respective [CONA] for the next elections to participate in the party-list elections," she said.

"We did that not just to run but to fight. This is a fight for those who are hungry, getting sick, or those who died because of the negligence, greediness, violence and lies of our leaders. This is a fight for our countrymen whose lives were ruined because of Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGOs) and online gambling that were only left to spread because of the negligence of our leaders," de Lima added.

The former justice secretary said it was also a fight for soldiers defending the West Philippine Sea.

She also recalled the time she was detained at Camp Crame on drug charges during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, which were recently dropped.

"They detained me for 2,454 days, they ruined my name, they silenced me and put my life in danger, but my conviction remains unshaken that the Filipino people deserved better. ML represents the marginalized, those left behind by a system that ignored them," de Lima said in English and Filipino.

De Lima also called on former Palace spokesman Harry Roque to surrender to authorities, years after he told her that she would be spending the rest of her life in prison.

She also reminded the former party-list representative to follow the rule of law, as he is a lawyer himself.

The fifth day of the filing for certificates of candidacy saw more party-lists register for the upcoming polls.

Angkas CEO George Royeca of Angkasangga filed their candidacies at the Manila Hotel. PHOTO BY RENE H DILAN

Angkas Chief Executive Officer George Royeca on Saturday formalized his candidacy as the nominee for the new party-list, Angkasangga.

Before filing certificates of nomination and acceptance, Royeca was escorted by Angkas motorcycle riders, who started from the motorcycle-hailing app's Makati City headquarters to the Manila Hotel.

Royeca said the party-list started from their seven-year fight for motorcycle or "habal-habal" riders.

"We believe that we can provide more opportunities for those involved... Our group is very large, and we need to have policies in place to protect and empower the 18 million motorcycle owners [in the Philippines]," Royeca said.

In other election news:

– Youth-oriented progressive party-list group Kabataan filed their CONA, with lawyer Renee Co as its first nominee. The party also had nine other nominees. Speaking to reporters, the group, led by Co, said they were in favor of impeaching Vice President Sara Duterte for accountability over the use of her "confidential" funds.

– Also running for re-election was the 1-PacMan party-list, with Rep. Mikee Romero's daughter Milka as its first nominee, as well as the Talino at Galing ng Pinoy (TGP) party-list, led by House Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Jose Teves Jr., who will again serve as its first nominee and the Ako Bisaya Partylist with first nominee Rep. Sonny Lagon.

– Other party-lists that filed their CONA were the Bayaning Tsuper (BTS) with lawyer Alex Abaton as its first nominee, Kaunlad Pinoy, Construction Workers Solidarity Party-list with Vladimir Pelaez as its first nominee, Aktibong Kaagapay with lawyer Eugene Michael de Vera as its first nominee, Bida Katagumpay with Roland Baliao as its first nominee, Toda Aksyon which included Valenzuela councilor Robin Feliciano, Solo Parents, Develop Agricultural Growth Advancement and Transformation, 1-Tahanan with lawyer Nathan Oducado as its first nominee, and Maharlika Party-list with Maria Alva Sahagun as its first nominee.

– In the race for the Senate, broadcaster Ben Tulfo filed his CoC at The Manila Hotel. Tulfo hopes to join his brother Raffy in the Senate, with another brother-broadcaster Erwin Tulfo also running under the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition. Ben, however, will run as an independent. Speaking to reporters, Tulfo said serving with his brother did not make them a political dynasty because there were families of lawyers, doctors and engineers. He said public service stems from their roots as broadcaster-brothers.

* Labor leader and veteran lawyer Jose Matula also filed his CoC for senator. This marks his third attempt at a Senate seat, having previously run in 2019 and 2022. However, this time, he said he was more determined than ever to push for key legislative reforms that would directly benefit the labor sector.

Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun filed his CoC for reelection at the Comelec office in Iba. His district comprises Olongapo City and the towns of Subic, Castillejos and San Marcelino. In a statement, Khonghun said he would continue to serve his fellow provincemates and give them proper representation in Congress.