Comelec to wait for bets’ confirmation of attendance in debates until Apr. 26
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will wait for the confirmation of the presidential and vice presidential candidates’ attendance in its organized debate until Tuesday, April 26.
Comelec Commissioner George Garcia on Sunday said that currently, the vice presidential and presidential debates will push through on April 30 and May 1.
READ: Comelec bares topics for presidential, VP town hall debates
“Hanggang sa kasalukuyan, matutuloy po tayo. Binigyan po namin ang aming sarili, kasama po ang Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), hanggang Martes man lang upang makuha namin ‘yung pag-sang-ayon o hindi pag-sang-ayon, ‘yung pag-convey nila sa amin ng kanilang mensahe kung sila ay makakadalo o hindi,” Garcia said on TeleRadyo’s Balita.
(To date, we will continue. We gave ourselves, together with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, until Tuesday to get their agreement or disagreement, to convey if they can attend or not.)
Initially, the vice presidential and presidential debates were respectively scheduled on April 23 and 24.
However, it was postponed after Impact Hub Manila, Comelec’s partner for the debates, failed to pay worth P14 million to Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila — the venue of the event.
READ: Comelec reschedules presidential, VP debates to April 30, May 1
According to Garcia, the KBP — who will help the commission for the rescheduled debates — requested that all candidates be present.
“Isa sa pinakiusap sa atin ng KBP ay kung pupwede sana ay ‘yung kumpleto ‘yung kandidato. Syempre hindi naman dahil du’n sa gastos at preparasyon pero kahit paano naman masigurado lamang ‘yung malawakan nilang coverage ay magiging maganda naman at maayos dahil nandu’n ang lahat ng mga kandidato,” the commissioner said.
(One of the requests of KBP is to have all candidates attend. Not because of the expenses and preparations but to provide a smooth and wide coverage for all candidates.)
Some candidates have expressed that they would not be able to attend the rescheduled event, Garcia shared.
READ: Lacson, Sotto to likely skip rescheduled Comelec debates
He, however, remains hopeful that their decisions will change.
“Subalit tayo ay umaasa na baka sakali naman sa mga susunod na araw hanggang Martes man lang, magbabago ang kanilang mga desisyon. So, nirerespeto natin ‘yun,” said Garcia.
(We are hoping that maybe by Tuesday, their decision will change. So, we respect that.)
