Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza – Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s running mate – is already seriously considering withdrawing from the vice-presidential candidacy. He urges Sen. Panfilo Lacson to back out of the 2022 presidential race.
“Very seriously,” Atienza described Thursday to reporters how serious he is about this option.
“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.”
It will be recalled that Atienza stopped campaigning with Pacquiao while recovering from an operation after having a knee problem.
In this regard, Lito Atienza also failed to attend some VP debates.
On the other hand, Atienza hopes that Lacson, who was recently left on the air by the Reform Party to support the candidacy of Vice President Leni Robredo, will also withdraw from the fight.
He said Atienza will officially suspend his candidacy once Lacson does so and Paquiao and Sen. Vicente Sotto III, Lacson’s running mate. He said it could do a lot to derail the possibility of presidential and VP frontrunners Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio winning.
“I am praying and hoping that Ping [would back out]. He already knows the realities of his political position. I hope he backs out too, and that could change the whole structure that could completely demolish Bongbong-Sara tandem,” said Atienza.
Lito Atienza seriously thinking of withdrawing from VP race
Pacquiao is currently in the fourth position in the Pulse Asia pre-election survey, while Sotto is now in the top two in the surveys.
Sotto on Wednesday positively accepted the suggestion that Pacquiao would take him as VP if Atienza suddenly withdrew.
“I am humbled and will certainly appreciate such a move. Lito Atienza has, is, and will always be a true statesman,” Lito Atienza said yesterday.
If Sotto was happy with his opponent’s apparent endorsement in the VP race, Ping called him to stop campaigning in favor of his opponent Pacquiao.
“That’s kabastusan to say the least. For somebody like him na mas matanda pa sa akin, na magsasabing mag-back out ako sa [pagkandidato] without even consulting me, that’s insulting,” Lacson said in a press conference.
“I am not backing out… Who is he to tell me to withdraw?”
Lacson advised Lito Atienza to go back to school to take GMRC (good manners and right conduct).
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