Harry Roque pulls out of 2019 midterm elections

MANILA, Philippines — Lawyer Harry Roque, former presidential spokesman, announced yesterday he will no longer run in the May elections.

Citing his health condition, Roque made the announcement on his official Facebook page.

“While I continue to be committed to serving the Filipino people and be their voice in the Senate, I have recently suffered from an unstable angina coronary disease which required me to undergo a percutaneous coronary intervention,” Roque said in a statement.

“The recovery process needed by my heart and body will not be compatible with the physical rigors of an earnest and sustained election campaign,” he said.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said there will be no substitute for Roque.

In a press briefing, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez confirmed Roque’s submission of a notarized “Statement of Withdrawal” at 11 a.m. yesterday.

But Jimenez noted that Roque, who was supposed to run under the People’s Reform Party, cannot be substituted because his withdrawal was “voluntary.”

“Once the formal and procedural requirements of the withdrawal have been fulfilled, the name of former candidate will be removed from the ballot,” he added.

This means that from 63, the number of contenders for the 12 slots at the Senate available is down to 62. – With Christina Mendez