Magdalo party-list seeks House comeback for 2025 polls

The Magdalo Party-list on Wednesday filed its certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) for the 2025 midterm elections, hoping to get at least a seat again at the House of Representatives.

The group’s first nominee is former Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, who was accompanied by former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV in filing the CONA, along with other nominees Eugene Gonzalez and Yvonne Jereza.

Should the party-list’s election bid be successful, Alejano said he may file an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.

“Of course, it would be assuming on my part. Pero ‘yun nga, kung mananalo at sa nakikita kong mga violations against the Constitution, malaki ang posibilidad na maghain po ako ng impeachment…against the Vice President,” he said.

(If we win and based on the violations in the Constitution that I see, there’s a big possibility that I will file an impeachment against the Vice President.)

He, however, said that the impeachment case against the Vice President will not be their priority in the Congress.

“Kami ho bilang party-list, tumitingin kami sa aming legislative agenda kasi ang pangunahin talagang dahilan kung bakit kami nandito ay ang kapakanan ng ating kasundaluhan at kapulisan —’yun ang ating pangunahing agenda,” Alejano said.

(As a party-list, we are looking at our legislative agenda. The main reason why we are really here is for the welfare of our army and police—that is our main agenda.)

“Kung meron mang ibang miyembro ng Kongreso na magpa-file ng impeachment ay puwede ho natin silang hayaan. Pero kung kinakailangan at tawag ng panahon na magpa-file at wala nang ibang magpa-file kagaya noong nakaraan administration, tatayuan ng Magdalo ‘yan,” he added.

(If there are other members of the Congress who wish to file an impeachment case, we can let them be. But if it is already necessary and time calls to file an impeachment and there’s no one willing to do so, then the Magdalo will be the one to do it.)

GMA News Online sought the comment of the Office of the Vice President regarding the matter and will update this story once it responds.

In 2017, it could be recalled that Alejano, who was then a representative of the Magdalo party-list, filed an impeachment complaint against former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The complaint, which was filed with the Office of the Secretary General at the House of Representatives, cited culpable violation of the Constitution, engaging in bribery, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes as grounds for Duterte's impeachment.

Meanwhile, other party-lists that filed candidacy on Wednesday are Ang Komadrona, Pwersa ng Pilipinong Pandagat, Pamana, and Barkadahan.

The United Senior Citizens Partylist is also seeking reelection for the 2025 elections, with incumbent Rep. Milagros Magsaysay as its first nominee.

United Senior Citizens Partylist is seeking reelection for #Eleksyon2025. Its first nominee is Rep. Milagros Magsaysay. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/Onbqt2HgpY

— Giselle Ombay (@giselleombay_) October 2, 2024

The law provides that a party-list group able to get at least two percent of the total number of votes cast in the party-list race will be entitled to at least one seat in the House of Representatives.

Those which will breach the two-percent threshold will be entitled to additional seats proportionate to the votes they received, but the seats for every winning party-list group shall not exceed three.

Those who failed to reach the two percent threshold, however, may still secure a seat in the House of Representatives since the party-list law also requires that 20% of the members of the House should come from the party-list ranks. —KG, GMA Integrated News