Former senator Leila de Lima has announced she will not be running for any elective position in the 2025 elections, citing other personal priorities.
“I won’t be joining the electoral fray next year for any position. That is my decision for now… I have other priorities and many things to attend to in my life,” De Lima said during an interview on TeleRadyo Serbisyo.
De Lima, who served as justice secretary under President Benigno Aquino III, spent nearly seven years in detention after being accused by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte of having ties to narcotics syndicates. All charges against her were dismissed last month.
The former senator has expressed intentions to write a book about her incarceration, drawing inspiration from political figures such as Nelson Mandela and Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.
Commenting on the current state of the Liberal Party (LP), De Lima noted the disappointing survey results for their candidates, acknowledging the challenges ahead.
“It’s really frustrating. We’re offering very qualified candidates… but the fight is still uphill based on the surveys. However, the election is still far off, so the LP will be intensifying its preparations. Next week, we will have a management committee meeting to discuss plans to improve the ranking, popularity, acceptability, and winnability of our candidates,” she stated.
Potential LP candidates for the upcoming elections include former senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Bam Aquino, as well as human rights lawyer Chel Diokno. De Lima also mentioned that Vice-President Leni Robredo will be running for the mayoral post in Naga City in the next year’s elections.