Senatorial aspirant Francis Leo Marcos announced on Thursday that he is withdrawing his candidacy for the upcoming Eleksyon 2025. Marcos said his decision was made to prevent additional government spending on ballot reprinting and to support the reelection bid of Senator Imee Marcos.
Avoiding Wasted Funds
Marcos’ withdrawal comes after the Supreme Court (SC) prohibited the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from declaring him a nuisance candidate. The Comelec had previously suspended the printing of ballots due to a similar SC ruling, but millions of pesos had already been spent on production.
“The money of the people will be spent for nothing. So, if I will be the obstacle that will cause the government to spend millions, I would prefer to withdraw. There will be more elections,” Marcos explained in a statement.
He formally submitted his withdrawal to Comelec chairperson George Garcia.
Impact on Election Preparations
Despite the withdrawal, Comelec chairperson Garcia clarified that it would have no impact on the overall election expenses.
“Only the date was affected. There was no effect on the spending,” Garcia said, noting that the printing of ballots would now begin on Monday, January 27, instead of Friday, January 24.
Supporting Senator Imee Marcos
Marcos also cited his desire to give way to Senator Imee Marcos as another reason for his decision.
“I want to give way to the candidacy of Senator Imee Marcos. If there are two Marcoses on the ballot, both of us might lose. Instead of one Marcos serving the country, there may be none,” he stated.
Marcos denied being pressured into withdrawing his candidacy.
With his withdrawal, the race for the Senate in Eleksyon 2025 takes another turn, further solidifying Imee Marcos’ reelection campaign.