Television personality Ion Perez has officially withdrawn from his councilor candidacy in Concepcion, Tarlac, expressing a desire to better prepare himself for a future in public service.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page on the evening of November 5, Perez thanked his supporters and explained his decision.
Perez shared, “Sa mga kalugar ko riyan sa Concepcion, una po, maraming salamat sa tiwala at suporta ninyo na ibinigay sa akin. Ipinaaalam ko lang po na hindi na po ako tatakbo or tutuloy bilang konsehal ng Concepcion dahil gusto ko po munang ihanda ang sarili ko para hindi mapahiya sa inyo at mapaglingkuran kayo ng tama.”
Muli po, maraming-maraming sa inyong pagtitiwala. Paumanhin po,” Perez wrote.
The announcement followed speculation that began in late October when rumors of Perez’s potential withdrawal circulated online.
Perez initially fueled the talk with a now-deleted cryptic post on social media, which led followers to question his commitment to the upcoming campaign.
On October 1, Perez had filed his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) at the local Commission on Elections (COMELEC) office in Concepcion, Tarlac, and aligned himself with the Nationalist People’s Coalition under the leadership of Tarlac Governor Susan Yap.
Perez’s partner, actress and ‘It’s Showtime’ co-host Vice Ganda, has not yet commented on his decision.
