Human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno, who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate twice, was named by Akbayan's partylist as its first nominee for the 2025 midterm elections.

Diokno is the chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), a nationwide organization of human rights lawyers.

In a statement on his Facebook page, Diokno said: '' We shall buckle down on protecting the welfare of the Filipino people, upholding our democracy and holding the corrupt accountable.” DMS