Marcos camp, Uniteam, say they “respect” his decision, but is saddened by it
(Eagle News) – House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta has decided to drop his senatorial bid for the May 9, 2022 elections.
In a statement released in his Facebook page, Marcoleta said he made the decision after his alleged “poor showing in running surveys.”
Marcoleta is a top senate bet of the ruling PDP Laban and was also adopted in the senate slate of the Uniteam of presidential bet Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and running-mate Davao City mayor Sara Duterte.
“The fighter in me should also be brave enough to read the writings on the wall. Let’s call a spade a spade,” he said citing his poor showing in recent surveys..
-Gratitude for Pres. Duterte, PDP-Laban, Uniteam, supporters-
In his statement, Marcoleta thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for encouraging him to run for senator, for his trust, and for his positive and generous endorsements, together with the efforts of PDP-Laban and the People’s Reform Party who also adopted him lately as its senatorial candidate.
He said that he is also thanking the Uniteam for including him in its senatorial slate and “for the enriching experience of speaking before multitudes who defied heat and pouring rains in some rallies.”
The lawmaker decided to drop from the Senate race after four months of intensive campaign, joining several sorties in several parts of the country, where he spoke before large crowds of Uniteam and PDP-Laban rallies.
“I will be indebted forever to several people who chipped in their resources, time and tons of hardwork into my memorable campaign. I thank the hundreds of parallel support groups and thousand of volunteers who believed in my advocacies and the measures that must be pursued for the common good,” he said,
“I just hope that they will all be so kind and accommodating enough to understand,” he said.
Marcoleta said that he would still continue to support the BBM-Sara tandem, as well as the senate slate of both the PDP-Laban and Uniteam.
-A higher purpose-
The Uniteam camp, represented by Marcos’ lawyer, Atty. Vic Rodriguez, said that they respect Marcoleta’s decision, although the team is “saddened” by it.
“Although it is with sadness that we receive the news that Deputy House Speaker Rodante Marcoleta is withdrawing from the senatorial race, we opt to follow that there must be a higher reason behind it,” Rodriguez said.
“We respect this move and express deep appreciation for his continuous support for the BBM-Sara tandem and the UniTeam, despite his decision to withdraw,” he said.
“At this point, we submit to serendipity, that everything happens form the point of view of destiny, believing that in the end, Rep. Marcoleta might be serving a different, yet a higher purpose,” Marcos’ spokesperson added.
(Eagle News Service)