Magdalo Party-list, led by its first nominee Gary Alejano, filed its certificate of candidacy (COC), aiming for a House comeback and hoping to avoid the cancellation of its party-list registration.
Magdalo Party-list represents retired personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It failed to win a seat in the House of Representatives in 2022 for the first time since 2013.
Former senator and retired navy officer Sonny Trillanes Trillanes, who has endorsed Magdalo Party-list in the past, accompanied Alejano during the filing.
If they earn a seat in the House again among their focus will be filing an impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
"Malaki po ang posibilidad na maghain ng impeachment (There's a high possibility that we will file an impeachment)," he said.
In a TV interview, Trillanes said Duterte is unfit for the position of vice president and is "bound to be impeached."
Trillanes noted that he had documented 22 possible articles of impeachment against the vice president.
He said all 22 articles covered grounds for impeachment according to the 1987 Constitution, including culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
Trillanes questioned the billions in intelligence funds that went to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education which Duterte led from June 2022 to June 2024.
He also quizzed intelligence and “peace and order funds” that went to Davao City, where Duterte was mayor from 2010 to 2013 and 2016 to 2022.
ICC case vs. Duterte
In 2017, Alejano and Trillanes also filed a complained with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to probe then-president Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.
"Of course, hindi natin mapupwersa o mape-predict ang anumang gagawin nila. Ang importante umuusad (Of course we can force them nor predict their next move. What's important is the investigation is progressing)," Alejano said when asked about the updates on the said complaint.
A lawyer working for the ICC previously said that an arrest warrant could be issued against Duterte.
In March 2019, the Philippines withdrew its membership from the ICC.