Drilon endorses Pangilinan, Aquino’s Senate comeback bids

Former Senate President Franklin Drilon endorses the Senate comeback bids of former senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Bam Aquino in a press conference before their Iloilo City sorties on March 6, 2025 (Photo from Team Kiko-Bam)

MANILA, Philippines — Former Senate President Franklin Drilon has formally endorsed the Senate comeback bids of former senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Bam Aquino.

The endorsement came as Drilon appeared with Pangilinan and Aquino in a press conference before their Iloilo City sortie on Thursday, March 6.

“I am endorsing fully and asking for your help, to help Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino. I was in the Senate for 24 years. If there are people qualified to be in the Senate, it is Kiko and Bam,” the former senate president said.

“They can stand toe-to-toe with anyone in this field. They can stand toe-to-toe to compare how they would perform in the past to be entitled to your support,” added Drilon, an Iloilo native.

Iloilo is the 12th most populous province in the country with 2,051,899 as of 2020, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

READ: LOOK: Hontiveros, Pangilinan, Aquino, Diokno go on house-to-house sorties

Pangilinan carried the province of Iloilo in his 2022 vice presidential bid as the running mate of then-Vice President and presidential candidate Leni Robredo with 448,171 votes.

In his previous senatorial bid in the 2019, Aquino ranked third among Iloilo voters, gaining 465,128 votes from the province.

Pangilinan is under the Liberal Party while Aquino is under the Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino Party.