De Lima says she won’t run in 2025 elections

MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Leila de Lima announced on Friday that she will not seek any public office in the 2025 elections.

In an interview with Teleradyo, she said that she is firm with her decision despite others encouraging her to run for a seat in the Senate again.

“Marami pa po akong priorities. Marami pa po akong inaasikaso sa buhay ko. Tumutulong po ako sa mga adbokasiya. Tumutulong po ako sa partido sa Liberal Party at sa kanyang sectoral wing na Mamamayang Liberal,” she said.

(I have many priorities. I have so many things to do. I help with advocacies. I help with the Liberal Party and its sectoral wing, Mamamayang Liberal.)

Before de Lima announced her plans for the 2025 elections, Senator Risa Hontiveros and Senate President Francis Escudero both hoped that she would run again as senator.

The former senator sought reelection in the 2022 national elections but failed to secure a seat.

READ: Risa Hontiveros hopes de Lima would vie for Senate seat in 2025

Following the recent 2025 senatorial survey of OCTA Research, de Lima, spokesperson of the Liberal Party, said that the party’s opposition bets still have an “uphill” battle in the upcoming midterm elections.

“It’s really frustrating na we are offering really, very qualified candidates. We are offering competent ones, truly intelligent, hardworking, with good track record and the character, the integrity is intact. But you know, medyo uphill pa ang laban (it’s kind of an uphill battle), at least based on the surveys,” she added.

Furthermore, De Lima said there is still no final announcement on the official slate of the opposition for the senatorial elections.

In 2017, de Lima was arrested and detained for the criminal charges filed by the Duterte administration. Last June, she was acquitted of all the charges, including three raps on illegal drugs.

READ: De Lima bares what’s next for her after acquittal