2025 elections
TACLOBAN CITY – Minority Floor Leader Marcelino Libanan announced in a press briefing on Sunday, August 18, that he will finish his term as representative of the 4Ps party-list group even if he files for a position as district congressman representing Eastern Samar’s lone congressional district.
Libanan explained that filing his certificate of candidacy is akin to entering a contract for the year 2025 onwards.
“My current term runs from 2022 until 2025,” he said. “Unless the party-list decides to remove me from the party at any point, which they can do through a resolution, I will complete my term as the 4Ps Representative,” Libanan said.
Recently, Libanan announced his plans to run as the district representative of the lone district of the province.
He also revealed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., along with Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, encouraged him to team up with the incumbent Governor of Samar, Ben Evardone, in their respective bids for governor and congressman to help bring Eastern Samar to ‘greater heights’.
Libanan clarified that he can choose a political party and file for a regular district congressman position without affecting his status as the 4Ps representative.
The only impact, he noted, would be that if he wins, it would count as his second term as a congressman.
He further stated that winning the district representative position would allow him to focus more on his district, as opposed to his current role as a party-list representative, which requires him to travel across the country.
Additionally, Libanan shared that, despite receiving numerous offers to join various political parties, he is leaning towards running as an independent candidate.
This would enable him to remain as the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
