Ejercito, Tolentino on debate challenge: Why not?

Sen. JV Ejercito speaks in front of the crowd in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. INQUIRER.NET PHOTO/CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines — Administration-backed senatorial candidates JV Ejercito and Francis Tolentino on Thursday said they are ready to face the opposition slate in a debate.

The two Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) bets made the remark after the opposition “Otso Diretso” senatorial candidates challenged pro-administration and survey-leading bets to a debate on key national issues.

READ: Otso Diretso bets want debate with opponents on key issues

“Debates are healthy for candidates to be able to present their platforms and positions. Why not? I am ready,” Ejercito, who running for re-election, told INQUIRER.net in a text message.

For his part, Tolentino said: “(There’s) no problem with debates as long as it will help the electorate (to) make (the) right decisions.”

However, their fellow HNP bet Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos said that she would rather attend campaign rallies than to participate in senatorial debates.

“There is no problem if there would be a debate, no problem with that but there are some like us who are too busy making the rounds that we couldn’t even go back to Manila,” she said. /je