Senatorial aspirant Leo Marcos withdraws candidacy in Eleksyon 2025

Senatorial aspirant Francis Leo Marcos on Thursday withdrew his candidacy for the upcoming elections, saying he is doing so to prevent wastage of government funds for the reprinting of ballots and to give way for the reelection bid of Senator Imee Marcos.

This came days after the Supreme Court (SC) prohibited the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from declaring him a nuisance candidate. The poll body had previously suspended the printing of official ballots following a similar ruling by the SC, but not before millions of pesos had already been spent for their production.

"The money of the people will be spent for nothing. So kung ako lang 'yung magiging hadlang para gumastos na naman ng panibagong daang milyon 'yung gobyerno, mas mamatamisin ko na lang, marami pa naman eleksyon eh," Marcos said.

(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.)

"So chairman, pormal kong binibigay 'yung withdrawal of candidacy ko," he added.

(So chairman, I am formally withdrawing my candidacy.)

However, Comelec chairperson George Garcia said Marcos' withdrawal will have no effect on the government's spending for the elections.

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"'Yung araw lang naman, araw lang naman 'yung effect. At least walang effect sa gastos," Garcia said.

(Only the date was affected. There was no effect on the spending.)

Garcia said that with the withdrawal, the printing of the ballots will be on Monday, January 27, instead of Friday, January 24.

Meanwhile, Marcos said he is also withdrawing his candidacy to give way to Senator Imee Marcos.

"Sabi ko nga gusto ko din bigyan daan 'yung kandidatura ni Senator Imee Marcos. Kasi kung dalawa nga kaming Marcos doon baka parehos pa kami matalo. Imbes na kahit papaano may Marcos na may mag sisilbi sa bayan, eh mawala pa," he said. 

(I also said that I want to give way to the candidacy of Senator Imee Marcos. Because if there are two Marcoses in the ballots, then both of us might lose. Instead of one Marcos serving the country, there may be none.)

He also denied that he was pressured to withdraw his bid. — VDV, GMA Integrated News

For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.