MANILA, Philippines — Presidential and vice presidential aspirants should participate in debates as a commitment to the electorate, Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson James Jimenez said on Saturday.
“Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates should commit, to the public whose votes they seek, that they will participate in the #PiliPinasDebates2022,” Jimenez said in a Twitter post.
Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates should commit, to the public whose votes they seek, that they will participate in the #PiliPinasDebates2022. #gauntlet
— James Jimenez (@jabjimenez) January 22, 2022
This, despite the fact that political aspirants are not required to participate in debates.
“Under the law, participation in debates is not mandatory… We cannot force them to join the debate,” Jimenez then said over ABS-CBN News Channel on Tuesday.
READ: Comelec is confident candidates will join debates, says spox
There will be three presidential debates and three vice-presidential debates, according to Comelec.