The 2004 presidential campaign of Panfilo Lacson was launched when he filed his certificate of candidacy on December 29, 2003.

[1][2] That time, Lacson is only in the half of his first term as a Senator, and three years ago, he is the former chief of the Philippine National Police.

They also said that his candidacy only boosted the election for full-term of then-incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, as they consider it to divide the votes for the opposition.

[9] This issue of opposition split made the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) and El Shaddai endorse the incumbent Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

[15][16] The opposition saw the need to become united under one banner to boost their chances of winning the presidential election against the organized political machinery of Arroyo.