Escudero endorses reelection of younger sister in Congress

MANILA, Philippines —  Senate President Francis Escudero has endorsed the reelection bid of his younger sister, Sorsogon first district Rep. Bernadette Escudero.

Escudero joined his sister in filing her certificate of candidacy (COC) in Sorsogon yesterday.

The two siblings are scions of the Escudero political clan in Sorsogon. Their late father Salvador Escudero was a longtime Sorsogon congressman and a Cabinet member in the first Marcos administration.

Bernadette Escudero succeeded her mother Deputy Speaker Evelina Escudero as Sorsogon first district representative.

The Senate president earlier said an anti-political dynasty law has a slim chance of getting passed by Congress due to difficulty among lawmakers in enforcing a ban on relatives running for public office.

He refused to push for such a measure citing “conflict of interest,” as he is also a member of a prominent political family.

Meanwhile, more aspirants for elective posts registered yesterday as candidates in the 2025 midterm elections, including the eldest child of Sen. Grace Poe who filed his certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) as first nominee of the partylist named after his late grandfather, action king Fernando Poe Jr.

“The term of my mother (as senator) is nearing its end. It is important for us to continue her legislative agenda as well as (realize) the dream of FPJ for the country,” Brian Poe Llamanzares said yesterday after filing his CONA as first nominee of FPJ Panday Bayanihan at the Manila Hotel Tent, accompanied by his mother. The party-list group has two other nominees.

“FPJ is the name of my lolo but FPJ as a party stands for food, progress and justice. Our legislative agenda will be the same as my mother’s legislative agenda,” Llamanzares said.

“I have long served as a public servant. I first started as a legislative officer then a political officer to later becoming the chief of staff of my mother. I worked in the government for 10 years to help my mother (achieve) a better future for the country,” he said, adding he even pursued studies on sustainability, national security and public administration.

“I am thankful that I was given the trust by the people to work in the Senate and to push the crafting of laws that will help the country. We know FPJ to be kind and brave but not a boastful person… I am confident that the FPJ Panday Bayanihan partylist can be trusted,” the senator, for her part, stressed.

Two other party-list groups filed their respective CONAs yesterday.

“Together, we will push for a better health system – both for our health workers and the patients we are continuously serving,” said Mendoza.

Dr. Minguita Padilla, one of the nominees of the Barangay Health and Wellness or BHW partylist, also filed her CONA. Nominees of other party-list organizations like 1 Agila, Solid North and Angat also filed their respective CONAs yesterday. –  Rhodina Villanueva, Artemio Dumlao, Miriam Desacada