MANILA, Philippines – Akbayan Partylist has named human rights lawyer Chel Diokno as its first nominee in its reelection bid at the House of Representatives next year.

The party announced Diokno’s nomination on Saturday, September 28, after members voted for him during a special congress.

Diokno, who was previously rumored to be eyeing third try for the Senate in 2025, was sworn in as a member of the democratic socialist party on September 17.

“Thank you for the trust and support! It is an honor to represent Akbayan and push for its principles. We shall buckle down on protecting the welfare of the Filipino people, upholding our democracy and holding the corrupt accountable,” he said on X.

Diokno said his decision went through careful examination.

“From the beginning, we carefully examined all possible avenues to best serve our people. After thorough reflection, we determined that running under the partylist system is not only a principled choice but also the most pragmatic path to effectively confront the forces of corruption and injustice,” Diokno said.

Akbayan also confirmed that Akbayan Representative Perci Cendaña is their second nominee for the 2025 elections.

Akbayan’s announcement on Diokno comes just days after it secured an electoral victory, as the Comelec declared it among the winners in the 2022 elections on Wednesday, September 25.

The proclamation followed the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Comelec’s cancellation of An Waray’s registration due to a violation of the party-list law. As such, Akbayan, which was just one rank short of winning a seat in the 2022 party-list race, moved up a notch.

Political observers see the development as favorable for Diokno, believing he has better chances of winning a House seat than a Senate seat.

Pulse Asia Research, Incorporation had “inadvertently” omitted Diokno’s name from its recent senatorial survey in June, prompting its president, Ronald Holmes, to issue an apology.

“We acknowledge the importance of ensuring all prospective candidates are included in our surveys, and we regret any confusion this may have caused. Rest assured, we will be taking the necessary steps to rectify this mistake in our subsequent surveys,” Holmes said on X.

Diokno ran for the Senate in the last two elections, placing 21st in 2019 and 19th in 2022. His supposed Senate candidacy for the third time was announced by a political ally in February, but later said he was still weighing his options.

Diokno said that he and Akbayan will continue to support opposition senatorial candidates, former senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino.

“Akbayan remains steadfast in backing Senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan. We fully support Senator Risa Hontiveros’ two Senate candidates, and as we campaign for them, we will also work to secure at least three seats for the party” he added.

Akbayan, one of the inaugural winners of the party-list race in the Philippines in 1998, has been a significant force in every election season, peaking in 2004 when it secured the maximum three seats allowed by law.

The party lost momentum under the administration of Rodrigo Duterte who vilified groups and individuals associated with his predecessor, the late former president Benigno Aquino III. Akbayan experienced its first election loss in 2019 and faced a second consecutive defeat two years later.

Akbayan is the party of Senator Risa Hontiveros, the only opposition member to win a seat in the upper chamber in the 2022 elections. The party is positioning itself as the main opposition in 2025. – Rappler.com