By withdrawing from the presidential race, the current senator and presidential candidate rejected the “unity” offered by Vice President Leni Robredo’s team.

Pacquiao will run for president with Buhay Partylist candidate Lito Atienza in the May 9, 2022 election.

They will face Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Doc Willie Ong, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, and Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

In a recent interview, Atienza said that someone in Robredo’s camp advised him that Pacquiao should drop out of the presidential campaign to make space for Robredo, who is presently polling second in the pre-election polls.

However, according to Atienza, Pacquiao quickly rejected the proposal, stating that he would rather lose than withdraw his campaign.

“Naghahanap din sila ng parang re-shuffling eh. I tried delivering the message. Sabi ni Manny, ‘Matalo tayo kung matalo, pero ayoko namang manalo dahil sa negosasyon.’ That was an answer that I had to respect,” (“They are also looking for something like re-shuffling. I tried delivering the message. Manny said, ‘We will lose if we lose, but I don’t want to win because of the negotiations.’ That was an answer that I had to respect,”) he stated.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, has promised not to withdraw from the presidential race.

It may be noted that the boxer superstar-turned-politician stated that only the “Lord” could put an end to his presidential campaign.

Robredo has yet to respond to reports that Pacquiao rejected his offer of “unity.”