The Liberal Party of the Philippines (LP) announced on Friday its new set of officers with Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman taking the lead as President, replacing former senator Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan.

Pangilinan, meanwhile, assumed the position of LP Chair, succeeding former vice president Leni Robredo.

In his speech as the new LP President during the group’s National Executive Council Meeting in San Juan City, Lagman said “hiatus is not an option“ amidst the challenges faced by the group.

“In fact, now is the time to perpetuate the legacies of LP. We may be small in numbers now but we are far from insignificant. For what we lack in numbers, we compensate with an unquestionable quality and excellence,“ he added.

The lawmaker urged members to strive more to be “relevant“, especially under the present administration.

He said the members should embodied the principles of the LP such as democratic principles, integrity in public service, good governance, and accountability.

Lagman stressed that the group must not be daunted by the fear of “dominant power“ or restrained by “patronage“ but instead be a “freemen insensitive to fear and immune to favor.“

“We must be unafraid to manifest critical dissent. Subservience and surrender to the powers that be are unacceptable,“ he added.

Lagman said that they are looking forward to the 2025 mid-term elections and beyond it.

“Babalik tayo. I assumed the presidency to lift up the Liberal party from the ashes of the May 2022 election,“ he said.

The LP also elected officers namely former Quezon City 6th district Rep. Kit Belmonte as Vice Chair; former Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat as Secretary General; former Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada as Executive Vice President; Iloilo board member Jason Gonzales as Party Director-General.

The LP was once the ruling party from 2010 until 2016 when Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III won the presidency.