MANILA – SAGIP Party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta has officially entered the race for a Senate seat:SAGIP Party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta has officially entered the race for a Senate seat, filing his candidacy this past Tuesday. The move marks a significant step up from his current role in Congress, spurred by widespread calls from supporters for him to serve at a higher governmental level.
According to Philippines News Agency, Marcoleta expressed his readiness for the upcoming electoral challenge during an interview shortly after his candidacy filing at The Manila Hotel Tent City. “Sa ngayon, ang aking paniwala ay ganap na akong nakahanda. Sa dami ng kababayan natin na nanawagan na sana makapaglingkod pa ako sa mas mataas na level, gusto ko pa.unlakan ‘yung panawagan na ‘yun (For now, I believe that I’m fully ready. Many people are calling for me to serve at a higher level and I want to respond to that call),” he stated.
Marcoleta, a vocal critic of the Commission on Elections’ (Comele
c) poll automation project, has previously made headlines for accusing Comelec Chair George Garcia of holding bank accounts in the Cayman Islands and allegedly receiving deposits from banks in South Korea.
The election landscape also sees the participation of Peter Advincula, known as “Bikoy”, who gained attention in the “Ang Totoong Narco-list” exposé in 2019. Advincula has also filed his senatorial bid, planning to execute a hybrid election campaign utilizing both traditional and digital methods.
In related developments, several former government officials have joined the fray in the party-list polls. Notable entries include Aksyon Dapat party-list president and former Pangasinan congressman Nani Braganza, and former Department of Agriculture secretary Arthur Yap, who is the first nominee of the Murang Kuryente party-list.
Meanwhile, in the Lone District of Dinagat Islands, Rep. Alan 1 B. Ecleo has filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for a third term. He is joined by incumbent reelectionist Vice Gov
ernor Benglen Ecleo and former Libjo mayor Lamberto Llamera, who is pursuing a gubernatorial seat.
Ecleo highlighted the enthusiastic local response to his reelection bid, noting that over 1,000 supporters appeared to show their support. “I am overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response of my fellow Dinagatnons to my reelection bid,” he commented. “It proves that the work we have done to lift Dinagat Islands up from the aftermath of disaster and from economic hardship is being appreciated by our Dinagatnon brothers and sisters.”