FORMER Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is making a strong bid for a Senate comeback, landing in the top five of the partial and unofficial results released Monday night — a surprise rebound after a previous defeat in the 2022 elections.
Joining him in the top 12 is Sagip party-list Rodante Marcoleta, whose entry into the winning circle is drawing attention from both critics and supporters, given his polarizing stance on key national issues, including his role in the ABS-CBN franchise denial.
Based on the 8:15 p.m. update from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which reflects 67.76 percent of local returns and 19.42 percent of overseas votes, Pangilinan currently holds fifth place with 8,685,135 votes, signaling renewed public trust in his brand of advocacy-driven politics.
Marcoleta, meanwhile, holds the eighth spot with 8,152,307 votes, outperforming several incumbents and high-profile names like Imee Marcos and Lito Lapid.
The current frontrunners are Senator Bong Go, Bam Aquino, Ronald dela Rosa, Erwin Tulfo, followed by Pangilinan, Ping Lacson, Vicente Sotto III, Marcoleta, Pia Cayetano, Camille Villar, Imee Marcos, and Lito Lapid.
