‘I lack machinery’: Wilbert Lee withdraws from 2025 senatorial race

Metro Manila, Philippines - A party-list lawmaker withdrew his senatorial candidacy on the eve of the campaign over what he said was a “lack of machinery.”

Agri party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee, is No. 36 on the ballot template, and votes for him on May 12 will be considered stray under election rules.

“Naging malinaw sa akin na kailangan pa ng mas mahabang panahon para mapatibay ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga kapwa Pilipino at maging sapat ang kahandaan at makinarya para sa matagumpay na kampanya,” Lee said in a press conference on Monday, Feb. 11,

[Translation: It became clear to me that I need more time to solidify my relationship with fellow Filipinos and to have enough preparations and machinery for a successful campaign.]

Lee was among the biggest spenders on Facebook to boost his posts months ahead of the filing of the certificate of candidacy, according to the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.

In a pre-election commissioned survey released Jan. 30, the Social Weather Stations found that 2% of intended votes were for Lee, just a slight improvement from 1% in December.

Another pollster, Pulse Asia, also said on Monday, that 25% of its respondents were aware of Lee but only had 1% voter preference.

Lee was the third candidate to back out from the senatorial race after former Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson and Francis Leo Marcos.