Wilbert Lee withdraws from Senate race

A day before the campaign season officially starts, AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee announced he is withdrawing from the Senate race.

In a Facebook live, Lee admitted that he realized that his political machinery was not enough to reach all Filipinos.

"Dumaan po tayo sa mususing pagninilay ukol sa desisyon natin sa pagsama o sa pagsali sa pagtakbong senador dito po sa darating na halalan (We went through careful consideration about our decision to join the senatorial race here in the upcoming election)," Lee said.

However, Lee said after his talks with his family and his colleague from AGRI Party-list, he decided to withdraw his candidacy.

"Isa po itong napakahirap na desisyon sakin sapagkat naniniwala po ako sa aking mga ipinaglalaban at nais ko itong dalhin sa Senado (This is a very difficult decision for me because I really believe in my advocacies and I wanted to bring them in the Senate)," he continued.

"Pero matapos nga ang taimtim na pagdarasal, pag-iisip, at konsultasyon, naniniwala rin ako na itong ang nararapat gawin sa pagkakataong ito (But after sincere prayer, thinking, and consultatuons, I believe that this is the right thing to do at the moment)," he added.

Lee was the first senatorial aspirant to file his certificate of candidacy (COC) before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on 1 October last year.

He is the third senatorial hopeful who withdrew their COC, following former Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson and internet personality Norman Mangusin, better known as Francis Leo Marcos.

Singson withdrew on 16 January due to health issues, while Mangusin also did the same on 23 January as he backed the reelection bid of Sen. Imee Marcos.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said votes for Lee would now count as stray votes.