MANILA, Philippines – Former Senator Leila De Lima announced on Friday, September 20, her nomination as the lead representative of the Mamamayang Liberal Party-list, the sectoral arm of the Liberal Party (LP).

“Walang atrasan. Tuloy na tuloy na ang laban!” De Lima proclaimed on social media.

“With all humility and conviction, I accepted today the nomination as the lead nominee of the party-list Mamamayang Liberal (ML), the sectoral wing of the Liberal Party (LP), for next year’s elections,” she added.

Joining De Lima as co-nominees are former lawmakers Ted Baguilat of Ifugao and Erin Tañada from Quezon province’s 4th district.

De Lima, a vocal critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war on drugs, had challenged the administration’s aggressive campaign, which primarily targeted small-time drug dealers and users from poor communities.

In 2017, following her Senate inquiry into Duterte’s bloody anti-drug operations, she was detained on what many critics deemed fabricated drug-trafficking charges. After spending over six years in detention, all three cases against her were eventually dismissed due to insufficient evidence, with the final case dropped in June 2024.

Now free, De Lima remains committed to advocating for social justice.

“Isusulong natin nang buong sigasig at katapatan ang katarungang panlipunan,” she declared.

In May 2024, Liberal Party President and Albay Representative Edcel Lagman announced that the party would participate in the 2025 party-list elections under the banner of Mamamayang Liberal (ML).

Lagman emphasized that the party-list group would focus on cause-driven initiatives, advocating for good governance, democratic principles, and strong opposition to any attempts to revive Martial Law or undermine democratic rule.

In July, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) officially accredited Mamamayang Liberal, allowing the group to contest a seat in the House of Representatives. ML aims to represent various sectors, including farmers, workers, the urban poor, youth, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, professionals, women, and members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community.

📷 Leila De Lima FB