Former Senator Leila de Lima, running as the first nominee of the Liberal Party-backed Mamamayang Liberal, explained why she initially declined to run in the 2025 elections.

"Totoo po yun, hindi po ako nagbalak tumakbo na kahit anong posisyon kasi marami pa akong aayusin sa buhay ko, sa family (Yes, it's true. I didn't originally plan to run for any position because I still have a lot to fix in my life, in my family). I wanted to rebuild my life," de Lima said.

However, de Lima shared that her interactions with people, particularly young individuals during visits to universities and colleges, convinced her to reconsider her decision.

"Many were asking, 'Hindi po ba kayo babalik sa Senado? Hindi po ba kayo tatakbo?' (Aren't you going to return to the Senate? Aren't you going to run again?)... I think this time around, mas focused tayo sa marginalized," she added.

De Lima will be running alongside former lawmakers Teddy Baguilat and Erin Tañada. Baguilat, an advocate for Indigenous Peoples' rights, represented Ifugao's lone district from 2010 to 2019. Tañada, who first served as Quezon Province’s Fourth District representative in 2004, ran for senator in 2019 under the Otso Diretso slate, but the entire slate lost.

Focus on the House of Representatives

De Lima acknowledged that she has a better chance of securing a seat in the House of Representatives compared to the Senate. "My pragmatic side tells me na medyo mahihirapan sa Senado (it will be hard to get into the Senate). It's a tight race," she admitted.

Running under a party-list system, de Lima said, is challenging but "beautiful" as it brings her closer to the marginalized sector. Her goal now, she explained, is to help Mamamayang Liberal secure enough votes to gain three seats in the House of Representatives.

De Lima was freed on bail in November 2023 after facing multiple charges in relation to an investigation she launched into the anti-drugs campaign of former President Rodrigo Duterte. In June 2024, Judge Gito dismissed the last of these charges, acquitting her of all criminal cases.