Atienza apologizes to Lacson for call to quit presidential race

Vice presidential candidate and House Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza on Friday issued an apology to Senator Panfilo Lacson for proposing that he withdraw from the presidential race in the May 2022 elections.

"He rejected the idea outright. In fact, he considered it an insult, and I apologize publicly," Atienza said at the Pandesal Forum.

"Sabi ko, 'Hindi naman insulto ‘yun’ (I said, 'That was not an insult'). I did not mean to insult Ping,” Atienza reiterated.

Atienza said he made the remarks on Lacson's withdrawal to address a "national crisis" of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, possibly winning the presidency.

"To me this is a national crisis - where the most incompetent, the worst prepared, the most dishonest and the most issues leveled against him and he doesn't even want to answer - might win the presidency. That is a crisis to me," he said.

"That’s why everybody should be prepared to react, not on a personal note but in a very, very patriotic sense. The idea is not meant to degrade anyone's competence,” Atienza added.

Atienza previously said he was seriously considering withdrawing from the vice presidential race, but will do so if Lacson will abandon his presidential bid.

"I'm praying and hoping Ping, he already knows the realities of his political position. I hope he backs out, too. That would change the whole structure to completely demolish a Sara-Bongbong tandem," Atienza said.

Atienza had endorsed Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III as his replacement to partner with presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Lacson had taken exception to Atienza's call and even said he was insulted by it.

"That's kabastusan to say the least. For somebody like him, na mas matanda pa sa akin, na magsabing magba-back out ang isang kandidato without even consulting, that's insulting," Lacson said.—LDF, GMA News