MANILA– Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Francis Tolentino has withdrawn his electoral protest against detained Sen. Leila de Lima aiming to keep his focus on his 2019 senatorial bid.
In a motion submitted to the Senate Electoral Tribunal, the former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman said he is not pushing through the protest as his campaign for a Senate seat needs undivided attention.
“In view of an impending rigorous national campaign herein protestant will have to indulge himself into few weeks from now, being a senatorial candidate in the upcoming May 2019 elections for which his undivided attention for the same is indispensable,” stated on Tolentino’s four-page motion released Friday.
“The withdrawal was borne out of pure employment of practicality and by no means to be taken as a surrender of the Protestant cause in proving and exposing election fraud committed against his then candidacy,” the motion said.
“He is withdrawing with his head help up high, and pride and honor intact not only for himself but also to all those who aspire for free and honest elections,” it added.
Tolentino, who finished 13th in the 2016 senatorial polls has put under protest the victory of the 12th winning senator De Lima, who was just ahead by 1.3 million votes against him./PNyoutu
