Neri Colmenares leads Bayan Muna’s return to House

Metro Manila, Philippines — Human rights lawyer Neri Colmenares is leading the bid of Bayan Muna party-list to return to the House of Representatives in the midterm elections.

In its national convention on Thursday, Sept. 26, the group announced Colmenares as first nominee. He represented the party-list in three consecutive terms beginning in 2007.

Colmenares authored the Free Mobile Disaster Alerts law, which requires telecommunication service providers to send free mobile alerts during disasters and calamities.

Bayan Muna is also expected to field three nominees who served in previous Congresses when it files its certificate of candidacy on Oct. 1-8.

Lawyer Carlos Zarate will be the second nominee, followed by Ferdinand Gaite and Eufemia Cullamat.

Kristina Conti, another human rights lawyer, who is also an assistant to counsel at the International Criminal Court, will be the fifth nominee.

High-stakes elections

Founded in 1999, Bayan Muna has secured seats in the House of Representatives beginning in 2001.

The party-list, however, failed in its bid in the 2022 elections.

“Bunga ito ng atake, red-tagging ng gobyernong Duterte sa atin, paglipana ng mga party-list ng mga political dynasties at vote-buying ng mga party-list na ito,” Colmenares said in his speech during the group’s convention.

[Translation: This is a result of attacks, the Duterte administration’s red-tagging, the spread of party-lists of political dynasties and their vote-buying practices.]

The 2025 polls will be a high-stakes electoral practice for Bayan Muna as under the law, another loss could mean it will be disqualified to participate in succeeding elections.

Bayan Muna is under the Makabayan bloc, a coalition of progressive groups.

Only the party-lists of Kabataan, Gabriela, and ACT Teachers secured a seat each in the 19th Congress, namely, Raoul Manuel, Arlene Brosas, and France Castro. The last two are eyeing the Senate for the next elections. 

First nominees of other groups

ACT Teachers on Thursday said Antonio Tinio, a former House member, will be its first nominee, followed by academics Helene Dimaukom and David Michael San Juan.

Kabataan will have Renee Co, a former student regent of the University of the Philippines, as its first nominee.

Former Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago is seeking a comeback, this time for Gabriela Women’s Party-list in the forthcoming 2025 elections.