PLANNED debates for presidential candidates in the May 2022 polls will be done virtually, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.
In a television interview, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the poll body will be holding virtual presidential debates ahead of the next elections.
“We’re working on debates and, yes, they will be (held) online,” said Jimenez, adding that “we would probably not be allowing a live audience.”
Jimenez, however, assured the public that the debates will be made available and accessible to all Filipinos.
Back in the 2016 elections, the Comelec held a series of televised debates, which featured three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate, involving all candidates for the said positions.
Last May, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said they are looking at the possibility of holding a hybrid presidential debates for the candidates in the next elections.
At the time, Casquejo said one option is that the candidates will hold the debate face-to-face and will be joined by the audience virtually.
Another option, Casquejo has said, is to have the candidates attend virtually or physically, while the audience will be allowed physically but on a limited scale.
As the Comelec made the announcement, Vice President Leni Robredo expressed support to Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s call for a face-to-face debate among presidential candidates.
Robredo said it would be difficult if debates are held virtually because the discussions on issues will be limited.
“Dapat talaga face-to-face para ‘yung mga issues natutuldukan habang magkakasama kayo sa isang event (It should really be undertaken face-to-face so that the issues are thoroughly discussed in an event),” she said.
In a related development, Robredo joined calls against the abuse of the rule allowing substitution of candidates who have filed their certificates of candidacy (COC), saying the law’s intent is clearly being violated by some people for their political interests.
The Vice President cited Article IX, Section 77 of Omnibus Election Code which provides that: “If after the last day for the filing of certificates of candidacy, an official candidate of a registered or accredited political party dies, withdraws or is disqualified for any cause, only a person belonging to, and certified by, the same political party may file a certificate of candidacy to replace the candidate who died, withdrew or was disqualified.”
“Since 2016, parang naaabuso itong provision on substitution (Since 2016, it seems that this provision on substitution has been abused),” said the opposition’s presidential aspirant.
Robredo, a lawyer, said the election law’s clear intent is to give political parties a chance to replace candidates in case of untoward incidents or unforeseen circumstances happen and not to allow “placeholders” to reserve slots for other candidates.
Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa’s last-minute filing of candidacy for president under the ruling PDP-Laban has fueled speculations that presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will end up as the standard bearer of the ruling party’s Cusi faction through substitution. — With Wendell Vigilia
