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Saturday, March 03, 2007
Opposition chides Palace for limiting debate
MANILA -- The Genuine Opposition (GO) on Friday criticized the Arroyo administration for "putting up roadblocks" to the proposed public debate between their camps' senatorial candidates.
Pinoy Votes: Sun.Star Election 2007
Malacañang earlier said the debate should only center on economic issues.
"Discussions on economics cannot and should not focus on statistics and data alone. Limiting the topics to be discussed to economics would in effect be equivalent to rendering the entire process useless to the Filipino electorate," said opposition spokesman Adel Tamano in a press conference at the coalition's headquarters in Mandaluyong City.
Tamano said instead of limiting the discussion to economic matters, the debate should also include other issues like hunger, poverty, criminality, corruption and the lack of employment opportunities.
Team Unity spokesman and Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano earlier said they accept the opposition's challenge to a public debate but they want the topic limited to the economy of the country.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo earlier denied that the economic accomplishments of her administration are myths.
Durano also said all candidates must be present during the debate and that it be held at the Manila Hotel instead of Plaza Miranda as proposed by the GO.
But Tamano said any debate that is limited to the national economy would be useless and futile in informing the electorate, "especially if Malacañang keeps on dressing up its figures and statistics."
Members of the administration's Team Unity, however, said they are prepared to engage opposition bets in a debate even if it includes controversial and "gutter" issues like the "Hello Garci" wiretapping incident.
Presidential adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio said administration candidates have nothing to fear even if certain controversial issues are included since the administration had long been a victim of black propaganda and dirty tricks from the opposition.
He added that if the opposition would like to use what he calls as "gutter issues," it is up to them but it would not discomfit the members of Team Unity and instead show the public that it is the members of GO "that is not able to raise the level of the campaign to the level that is intelligent and becoming the expectations of the electorate."
Claudio said such a debate would also show the people who among the candidates are able to engage in a campaign that is above board and tackle issues intelligently and eventually help the voters make a sound judgment on who are qualified to serve the country.
He added that each of the members of Team Unity have their own field of expertise, including advocacies and platforms, which they could tackle well given the opportunity. (AH/JMR/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (March 3, 2007 issue)
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