MANILA, Philippines – Veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal is gunning for a Senate seat in the 2019 elections.

Macalintal announced his bid on Thursday, October 4. He said that if elected into office, he would be an advocate for the rights of senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

“Dala ang kanilang suporta, paninindigan ko na ang papel bilang boses ng ating senior citizen at PWDs sa darating na halalan (With their support, I will be the voice for senior citizens and PWDs in the upcoming elections),” Macalintal said in a statement. 

Macalintal said several senior citizens and PWDs had approached him. 

“Humingi sila ng tulong sa akin para dalhin ko ang kanilang hinaing sa Senado. Bilang isa ring senior citizen, ramdam ko ang kanilang pinagdadaanan, kaya hindi ko sila mahindian (They asked for my help to bring their needs to the Senate. As a senior citizen, I feel what they are going through, so I could not say no),” he said. 

Macalintal is a veteran election lawyer. He is currently the lead legal counsel of Vice President Leni Robredo in the election case filed against her by former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. 

The election lawyer clarified to Rappler there would be “no conflict” between his campaign and his role as Robredo’s legal counsel. 

He said the Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, was still in the process of revision of the ballots.

Macalintal estimates the presentation of evidence would only happen after the May 2019 polls.

Macalintal earned his law degree at the University of the East College of Law in 1978. He passed the Bar examinations on the same year with an average of 83.1%.

Macalintal is among the initial list of 18 names the opposition coalition is considering for its final Senate slate. The final list is set to be announced by next week, ahead of the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2019 polls from October 11 to 17. – Rappler.com