Francis Leo Marcos withdraws from 2025 Senate race

(Photo by John Eric Mendoza / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — Francis Leo Marcos on Thursday withdrew from the 2025 Senate race. 

Marcos, who is Norman Mangusin in real life, went to Palacio Del Gobernador personally to file his certificate of withdrawal. 

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia personally received his withdrawal papers.

Garcia asked Mangusin: “This is it?” 

Mangusin said in response: “This is it!”, prompting Garcia to sign his papers.

In November last year, the Comelec declared Mangusin a nuisance candidate, reversing the poll body ruling in 2021 when it allowed him to run for the 2022 elections.

The Supreme Court, however, had allowed Mangusin to run in the 2025 midterm elections.

Garcia said Mangusin would use his stage name “Francis Leo Marcos” in the ballots, which would have caused confusion among voters since his name would come first before Sen. Imee Marcos.

In an interview after his withdrawal, Mangusin said he withdrew his senatorial bid to “give way” to Sen. Marcos.

In the 2022 elections, Mangusin ranked 27th in the senatorial race after getting over 4.5 million votes.