Atienza eyes withdrawal from VP race, calls on Lacson to do the same
Vice presidential candidate and House Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza confirmed Thursday, March 31 that he is "very seriously" considering backing out of the election race and called for other aspirants to do the same and merge in a bid to turn the tide against the frontrunning tandem of Palace bet Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Particularly, Atienza encouraged presidential aspirant Ping Lacson, who ranks fifth in the recent presidential surveys, to "back out" and let his partner, vice presidential bet Tito Sotto, to team up with Manny Pacquiao instead.
"I’m praying and hoping Ping, 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 the Sara-Bongbong tandem," he told reporters in an online interview.
Atienza made the pronouncement in confirmation to what Pacquiao bared on Wednesday during his campaign sortie in Iloilo City. But Atienza said his interest to withdraw was not prompted by his medical condition.
Atienza said he is "just asking a verification if Ping will really withdraw". And if that happens, he added, "I will also formally withdraw and commit and offer it to the Filipino nation."
"I'll still contribute my time my thoughts, my prayers. My people, all those who believe in me, I will tell them straight don't vote for retrogression, vote for change...Pacquiao-Sotto should be your choice," he said.
But why is the House lawmaker doing it? He said it is to prevent the Marcos-Duterte tandem, the frontrunners in the surveys, from winning the two highest posts in the country.
He said the administration duo does not really offer "change" and "just talks about unity". He also cited Marcos's avoidance on the taxes issue and his family's supposed ill-gotten wealth.
"Anong gagawin natin sa isang pamilya na walang nirerespeto na batas... Tinatawanan lang nila yan (What will we do to a family that doesn't respect the law. They just laugh at it)," he said.
"Seemingly everybody had been razzle-dazzled into accepting a Bongbong-Sara victory. I'm not accepting that. That is a fluke, that is a myth, created by money and power," he said, adding that the duo's lead is "not rock solid" and can be overturned on election day.