66 aspirants make it to Comelec's final list of senatorial candidates for 2025 polls

A total of 66 aspirants made it to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) final list of senatorial candidates for the midterm elections in May 2025.

In a radio interview, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said 66 candidates have been finalized after 117 other hopefuls considered nuisance candidates were trimmed down.

"We will release the ballot faces next week. You can see more or less the pictures of each town's ballot. You will see who are the senators, all 66 of them," Garcia said in Filipino.

The Comelec's final list of 66 senatorial aspirants includes former Department of the Internal and Local Government Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos, former senators Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino, Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Emmanuel Pacquiao, Francis Pangilinan, Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, and former Ilocos Sur governor Luis "Chavit" Singson.

Also among them are Makati Mayor Abby Binay, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Francisca Castro, labor leaders Leodegario "Leody" de Guzman, Renecio "Luke" Espiritu Jr., and Jose Sonny Matula, as well as reelectionist senators Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, Manuel "Lito" Lapid, Imelda "Imee" Marcos, and Francis Tolentino.

Also included in the list are television personalities James Patrick "Jimmy" Bondoc, Wilfredo Revillame, Phillip Salvador, Tulfo brothers Bienvenido and Erwin; doctor-vlogger Willie Ong, and detained televangelist Apollo Quiboloy.

Completing the list are SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Mendoza, AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee, former lawmakers Liza Maza and Teodoro Casino, former state auditor Heidi Mendoza, former Defense secretary Norberto Gonzales, Ronald Adonis, Wilson Amad, Jocelyn Andamo, Ronnel Arambulo, Ernesto Arellano, Roberto Ballon, Bonifacio Bosita, Roy Cabonegro, Allen Capuyan, Pilar Juliana Cayetano, Angelo de Alban, David D'Angelo, Eufemia Doringo, Arnel Escobal, Modesto Floranda, Marc Louie Gamboa, Jesus Hinlo Jr., Relly Jose Jr., Raul Lambino, Amirah Lidasan, Norman Marquez, Eric Martinez, Richard Mata, Jose Montemayor Jr., Jose Jessie Olivar, Ariel Querubin, Danilo Ramos, Victor Rodriguez, Nur-ana Sahidulla, Michael Tapado, Mario Valbuen, and Leandro Verceles.

Section 69 of the Omnibus Election Code defines a nuisance candidate as one who files a certificate of candidacy to put the election process in mockery or disrepute; to cause confusion among the voters by the similarity of names; or if a candidate demonstrates that it has no bona fide intention to run for the office.