CANDIDATES who will not participate in the upcoming debates organized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will no longer be given slots in the agency’s ongoing e-rally platforms all throughout the remaining days of the campaign period, Comelec chairperson Socorro Inting said on Monday, March 7, 2022.
"I hope all the candidates will participate in the debates sponsored by the Comelec. One who refuses or skips the debate will not be allowed to join the e-rallies," Inting said during the signing of a memorandum of agreement with Impact Hub Manila, the group behind Vote Pilipinas, which will be the poll body’s partner in the conduct of “Pilipinas Debates 2022: The Turning Point.”
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said it was the agreement they had with the candidates when they were given the opportunity to air their e-rallies on their platforms for free.
The Comelec launched Campaign S.A.F.E. Comelec e-Rally Channel on Facebook on February 8, a day before the official campaign period for the national posts started.
The agency gave candidates for president and vice president 10-minute airtime for each of three slots in a day, Senate bets will have three minutes for each of five slots in a day, while party-list groups have three minutes each for each five slots per day.
Political parties also have 10 minutes for three slots per day.
The Comelec will hold three presidential and two vice presidential debates scheduled on March 19 and 20 and April 3, 23 and 24 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza.
"The public debate is the only avenue where you will witness all candidates side by side with each other... Walang ibang layunin ang debateng ito kundi matulungan ang mga botante na alamin kung saan kayo tumatayo sa iba't ibang isyu at anong plano niyo para solusyunan ang mga ito," Inting said.
Jimenez said they have yet to get written confirmations from the candidates who are willing to join the debate but they are expecting that they are all inclined to participate.
READ: Comelec expects all bets to attend debates
He also clarified that only the general topics of the debate and not the particular questions to be asked will be given to the candidates with an assurance that each bet will be treated fairly.
"When it comes to the process of actually finalizing the list of questions that will be included in the question pool, everyone who will be involved in the process will be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement," he said.
“Perhaps, it is very important to maintain the integrity of the questions and by maintaining the integrity of the questions, it means taking all the necessary steps, including legal, to make sure that no one releases it ahead of time,” Jimenez added.
Earlier, Jimenez said all the presidential aspirants already expressed intent to participate in the event. The camp of survey frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he will only attend if his schedule permits.
In a letter sent by Marcos to the Comelec, Marcos’s camp expressed readiness to join the debate but he said “it would be more proper and prudent if all presidential candidates will be given opportunity to discuss” the format of the event, including the issues that will be covered.
Presidential aspirants Senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao slammed the idea.
Lacson likened it to giving out leakage before an exam. (SunStar Philippines)