The "resurrection" of Bam, Kiko and Leila

One of the outstanding results of the last midterm elections were the victories of incoming senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan as well as the coming of former senator Leila de Lima as party-list representative as the first nominee of ML or Mamamayang Liberal. With Leila joining the impeachment prosecutors and Pam and Kiko as senator judges, there shall be a balance in the impending impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte.

This triumvirate of progressive-thinking legislators shall join incumbent Senator Risa Hontiveros in the left of center ideological lines in the coming Philippine Senate. They are pro-people, pro-labor, pro-human rights, pro-life and pro-changes. They are also pro-family, they favor inclusivity and are uncompromisingly against summary executions and extra-judicial killings. They are anti-China on the issue of defending our territorial integrity and they firmly oppose any intrusions by China into the West Philippine Sea. These senators shall strongly defend the environment and shall fight all forms of unrestrained mining and logging activities.

Paolo Benigno Aguirre Aquino or Bam was born on May 7, 1977 and thus is now 48 years old. He graduated with high honors, summa cum laude, from Ateneo and engaged in business as president of MicroVentures. He studied Leadership and Public Policy in Harvard Kennedy School.  He was only 36 when he was first elected senator in 2013, a little older than his famous late uncle Ninoy Aquino who was elected at age 35. Bam won under his cousin's Team Pinoy. He got the seventh place with 15,388,992 votes.

Senator Bam chaired both the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship and the Committee on Youth. In 2019, he ran for reelection under the Team Otso Diretso but lost, placing only fourteenth with 14, 144,923 votes.  He married Maria Fatima Gomez, a beautiful daughter of a famous orthopedic surgeon. They have two children. Senator Bam is a presidentiable. His victory in the 2025 midterm elections and a very impressive win at that could make him either a presidential timber in 2028 or a probable vice president to Leni, Risa, Kiko or Leila.

Francis Pancratius Nepomuceno Pangilinan or Kiko for us was born on August 24, 1963 and that makes him 62 years old. He is a UP Law graduate, a lawyer and went also to Harvard Kennedy School. He was elected Quezon City councilor in 1988 at the age of  25. He was elected senator in 2001 and served two consecutive terms until 2013. In 2014 to 2015, Kiko was tapped by President Noynoy as Presidential Adviser on Food Security. That explains his advocacy for food. In 2016, People were surprised why Kiko was harping on food when he is an excellent lawyer from UP and could give Marcoleta or Escudero a run for their law degrees.

Kiko ran and won his third term in the Senate, placing number 8, with 15,955,949 votes. He authored more than 100 laws.  In 2022, upon the request of President Noy and Leni Robredo, Kiko ran for vice president and lost to VP Sara. He could have been a better and more professional vice president. We all know that Kiko married one of the richest girls in tinseltown, Sharon Cuneta, with whom he has three children. Kiko is an honest man, low profile and not very talkative like other senators who are not even lawyers. For a lawyer, he is subdued, mild-mannered and soft-spoken. But there are lot of brains between his ears.

Leila Norma Eulalia Magistrado de Lima was born on August 27, 1959, and so, she is now 66 years old. She has always been academic achiever, who always topped all her classes from grades to graduate school. She graduated salutatorian from San Beda School of Law and placed number 8 in the 1985 Bar Exams. She worked as assistant to the late Supreme Court Justice Isagani Cruz and later as secretary of the House Electoral Tribunal where she became an expert on election laws.

She served as chairman of the Human Rights Commission from 2008 to 2010. President Aquino appointed her Secretary of Justice and served as such from 2010 to 2015. She won as senator and served from 2016 to 2022. She was falsely charged of crimes and was detained for 6 years after all her cases were dismissed. Leila used to be married to a classmate in San Beda and a fellow lawyer, Plaridel Bohol. They have two children but their marriage was annulled.

Starting noon on June 30, 2025, the Filipinos will have the distinct honor and privileged to be served by these three distinguished legislators who truly love the country, and whose integrity is beyond reproach. They are professionals of the highest caliber. They are competent, committed and conscientious. They are among the best that will give honor to the position of a lawmaker.   Bam, Kiko and Leila are our best hopes in the next Philippine Senate, legislators who will never betray us not. You can mark my words on that.