Imelda joins Pacquiao and Arroyo in run for Congress

Manila: Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos filed her candidacy for next year's congressional elections, joining the country's boxing champion and the outgoing president in the star-studded race for the lower house.

Strongman Ferdinand Marcos's flamboyant 80-year-old widow, who has successfully fought off more than 900 civil and criminal cases against her, despatched a lawyer shortly before midnight on Tuesday to file her nomination papers in Ilocos Norte, her husband's stronghold where she is popular.

Tuesday was the last day for nominations for the May 2010 national poll.

Marcos will be running against a former vice-governor, said Apolinario Saturnino from the Elections Commission.

She is seeking to replace her son, Rep Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, who is running for the Senate, while her daughter Imee is running for governor of Ilocos Norte, a position that has been held by a cousin

Imelda Marcos returned in 1991 and ran unsuccessfully for president the following year. She won a congressional seat from her home province of Leyte and served from 1995 to 1998.

The Marcos family still wields influence, despite accusations of embezzlement, human rights abuses and Imelda's ostentatious lifestyle when most of the country wallowed in poverty during the husband's 20-year rule.

Also running

Other top candidates for Congress include Manny Pacquiao, who last month won his seventh world boxing title in as many weight classes. Pacquiao ran unsuccessfully in 2007 for a congressional seat in his hometown General Santos City.

This time he is running in neighbouring Sarangani province.

Gloria Arroyo will become the first Philippine president to run for a lower house seat after stepping down. Barred by the constitution from seeking a second term, Arroyo filed her candidacy for the House of Representatives in her home province of Pampanga.

Not guilty

A Philippine trial court has acquitted Nur Misuari, a former Muslim separatist leader and governor of Mindanao's autonomous region, of rebellion charges after prosecutors failed to prove he was behind the 2001 attack on a military camp in Sulu province.

Misuari's acquittal came a day after he filed his certificate of candidacy for governor of Sulu.

"I am running again in the 2010 elections because of my obsession to achieve peace in Mindanao," said Misuari, who is running under the party of Christian evangelist Eddie Villanueva, who is standing for president.