Leni Withdraws, Pun Intended, From ATM Prop

Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday was asked to "withdraw" from an automated teller machine prop onstage, poking fun at calls for her to back out of the presidential race.

The lone female presidential candidate asked the crowd in Baliuag, Bulacan why there was an ATM during the rally. Bulacan, whose governor endorsed Robredo for president, is the fifth most vote-rich province in the Philippines with 2.01 million voters.

"Pagwi-withdrawin n'yo ba ako?... Ang tiyaga. Bakit tayo may ATM machine?" she asked.

READ: Will Leni Robredo's Withdrawal Translate to Votes for Isko Moreno? 

Robredo then pulled the message from the machine which said "Ipanalo natin para sa lahat."

"Ayan ‘yung na-withdraw natin. Grabe, ang tiyaga n'yo. Maraming salamat sa mga gumawa nito," she said, before reading the placard with the message "VP Leni, mag-withdraw ka na ng pang-inom sa May 9."

She read another placard which asked her not to withdraw from the race. Robredo jokingly answered "ay, nag-withdraw na tayo."

Rival Isko Moreno, the mayor of Manila, had dared Robredo to "be a hero" and withdraw from the race during an Easter Sunday joint press conference with fellow presidential candidates Panfilo Lacson and Norberto Gonzales.

Both Lacson and Gonzales denied they support the call. Moreno's running mate Ong also said he wouldn't ask Robredo to withdraw.

ALSO READ: Isko Moreno Says Leni Withdraw Call is Not 'Macho Politics'