All bets gear for faceoff, except one

Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez. FILE PHOTO

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will hold the first round of its live presidential debates on March 19 but the camp of former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he was not confirming his attendance.

“The debates are definitely on. The date that we’re looking at for the first presidential debate is on March 19, which is a Saturday. And thus far, we have commitments from all campaigns that their candidates will be joining us,” poll spokesperson James Jimenez said during the signing of a voter information campaign agreement with online media outlet Rappler.

Unlike in the 2016 elections, the Comelec will organize the presidential debates and allow all media organizations to broadcast them live.

Jimenez said the candidates will be at the venue but there will be no audience.

The moderator “will be the only one who has any knowledge of what questions they will be asked,” he said, but the candidates will be given a “general idea” of the topic.

A few hours later, Marcos’ spokesperson said their candidate “has not yet confirmed his participation” in the debate.

“His participation in the event, which will be held at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, will only be confirmed if his hectic campaign schedules permit,” said Victor Rodriguez.

‘Ready’ to join but…Jimenez released a Feb. 11 letter from Marcos’ campaign manager Benjamin Abalos Jr., saying Marcos “has expressed his readiness to join” the debate but also asking for a meeting between the Comelec and all the presidential candidates to discuss the debate format.

Abalos said they wanted to know the “issues to be discussed, the time allotment for each [candidate], the right to respond and rebut [the other candidates’] arguments, who will be the moderator, among others.”

Rodriguez said his statement was not at odds with that of Abalos’ letter, the intention of which was to determine how the Comelec would conduct the debate.

He said he had made it clear that if a debate would not allow a candidate to present clearly and with sufficient time his or or her own platform of governance or vision, “then we might respectfully decline because, again, we stand firm in our belief that the Filipino people are simply too tired hearing candidates bickering, fighting with one another.”

Rodriguez also said Marcos had a full schedule until the first week of April, at least.

Marcos campaigned in Iloilo on Thursday, courting votes from barangay officials in a province where he placed a far second in the vice presidential race in 2016.

Marcos commended barangay officials for their front-line role in the government’s pandemic response.

He also vowed to provide them with the benefits due them, such as scholarships for their children and health insurance.

Jimenez also announced that the vice presidential debates will be held on March 20 and that all the nine candidates have confirmed their participation except for Buhay party list Rep. Lito Atienza “who will undergo surgery.”

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