Former vice president and news anchor Noli de Castro, who filed his certificate of candidacy for senator last week, has withdrawn his Senate bid for the 2022 elections.
“Nais kong iparating sa lahat ng aking mga kaibigan at supporters na naghahanda na sanang tumulong sa akin, na nagpasiya akong hindi na ituloy ang aking kandidatura,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Kasabay ng pagdarasal sa Poong Nazareno, napag-isip-isip kong mas makatutulong ako sa pagbibigay ng boses sa ating mga kababayan sa pamamagitan ng pamamahayag. Binibigyang diin ko po, hindi nagbabago at magbabago ang ating layunin at hangad para sa bayan,” he added.
De Castro said he would continue serving the public through broadcasting.
The ABS-CBN anchor took oath as a member of Aksyon Demokratiko, the political party of presidential hopeful Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, last week.
He had announced that he was leaving ABS-CBN to make a comeback in politics for a chance to engage in “wider” public service.
“Patuloy tayong magiging boses ng ating mga kababayan, lalo na sa panahong katulad nito na ang boses na iyon ay nalulunod sa ingay ng pulitika at paggamit ng kapangyarihan para sa sariling interes ng iilan,” De Castro said.
He was senator for three years, from 2001 to 2004. He did not finish the final three years of his senatorial term to run for the vice presidency.
De Castro won and was vice president of the Philippines under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from 2004 to 2010.
He returned to broadcasting after his vice presidency. John Ezekiel J. Hirro