Vice presidential candidate Lito Atienza on Thursday said he is "very seriously" considering his withdrawal from the race to give chance for his running mate, Sen. Manny Pacquiao to forge a stronger tandem in the upcoming national elections.
Atienza clarified that he is not backing out due to health reasons, but rather to give Pacquiao a "clean break."
"I can handle the health reasons…as you said, I can handle my affairs via Zoom but the thing is, if it’s not helping anymore, a man like Manny Pacquiao, you give him a clean break,” Atienza said.
The Buhay representative is currently recuperating from knee surgery and has not been able to accompany Pacquiao in his recent campaign activities.
Atienza said that he wants fellow candidate Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III to run with Pacquiao, adding that they align in terms of values.
He said he hopes Senator Panfilo Lacson, who is running in tandem with Sotto, would back out too. Lacson’s party, Partido Reporma, earlier dropped him in favor of Vice President Leni Robredo.
“I’m praying and hoping [for] Ping [to back out]. He already knows the realities of his political position,” he said. “I hope he backs out too and that could change the whole structure that could completely demolish Bongbong-Sara tandem.”
Atienza said that he would officially withdraw his candidacy if Lacson would also quit from the race and an agreement between Pacquiao and Sotto would be finalized.
He said he has already reached out to Pacquiao and Sotto.
