Candidates for national office, including those vying for election, are not required to participate in debates.
If it were up to Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson James Jimenez, however, they should attend such events.
“Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates should commit, to the public whose votes they seek, that they will participate in the #PiliPinasDebates2022,” he posted on his Twitter account, @jabjimenez, on Saturday.
In an earlier post, Jimenez stated that while they cannot compel candidates to attend public debates, candidates have typically attended Comelec-sponsored debates.
RELATED STORY: COMELEC spox says cancellation of 2022 elections due to COVID-19 ‘unlikely’
In February, March, and April, the polling organization will organize three presidential and vice presidential debates.
The Comelec and its media partners held three presidential debates and one for vice presidential candidates prior to the 2016 elections.
“The debates among presidential candidates shall be scheduled on three different calendar days: the first debate shall be scheduled within the first and second week of the campaign period; the second debate within the fifth and six(th) week of the campaign period; and the third debate shall be scheduled within the 10th and 11th week of the campaign period,” the law states.
Meanwhile, presidential contender Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s spokeswoman defended the former senator’s choice to refuse an offer to participate in a television talk program.
READ ON: Comelec postpones printing of ballot for OFWs
“Presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos’ duty is to the Filipino people and not to a particular TV show or program host,” lawyer Victor Rodriguez said in a statement on Saturday. “We will continue with our way of communicating direct to the people in so many equally significant shows, platforms and forums where all the attendees are allowed to present their visions, plans and platforms freely, unfiltered and unhindered by any biases.”
Rodriguez claims the show’s host has a long history of bias against the Marcoses, and they believe “her questions will just focus on negativity about BBM,” rather than “how the aspiring presidents will solve our country’s lingering problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and what their plans are for our country to recover from economic stagnation.”
National candidates will begin campaigning on February 8, or 90 days before the election, while local candidates will begin campaigning on March 25, or 45 days before the election.
