House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta is no longer running for senator in the May 2022 polls.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia confirmed that Marcoleta filed his statement of withdrawal on April 21.
"He went to my office carrying his (statement of) withdrawal and I referred him to the law department," he said in a statement on Wednesday, April 27.
Garcia said Marcoleta's withdrawal was accepted by the en banc earlier.
Marcoleta's withdrawal comes just weeks before the May 2022 polls.
The poll body did not provide a copy of Marcoleta's statement of withdrawal.
With his withdrawal, the Comelec said all votes for Marcoleta in the upcoming polls will be considered "stray."
Marcoleta filed his certificate of candidacy for senator in October last year under PDP Laban.