Editorial: Join Comelec debates, Bongbong

Presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has said he’s unsure if he could attend the presidential debates initiated by the Commission on Elections as he would still be studying the format.Bongbong’s spokesperson lawyer Victor Rodriguez has questioned the poll body’s move to sanction candidates who will skip the debates. The mouthpiece of the late dictator’s son wanted to know if there was a Comelec resolution or if it was Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez’s pronouncement.True, there is no law mandating candidates for the top two positions of the country to join debates; however, candidates positioning themselves to be the next president and vice president have the responsibility to join platforms that would examine their views on various issues facing the country and their visions in a post-Duterte Philippines.Debate is a platform that can offer the views of the candidates in one setup to the public, especially the electorate. It is not much helpful to loyal supporters of each candidate, but it sure is to the undecided bunch who could be the game-changers in the May 9, 2022 polls.Bongbong Marcos was not present during the CNN Philippines’ presidentiable debates and broadcast journalist Jessica Soho’s presidential interviews as the GMA veteran has been viewed by Marcos as “biased.” The former senator, however, joined Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s network SMNI debates where his rivals were absent. Who would want to join the debates when Quiboloy, who is wanted by the FBI, had already announced his support for the candidacies of Marcos and his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio?Debate’s venue is where candidates can answer questions in real time. Sending questions in advance defeats the purpose of debate which is to elicit frank responses from candidates.Bongbong and the other presidential candidates—Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso and labor leader Leodegario “Ka Leody” de Guzman, must participate in the Comelec debates. They must answer questions and argue.Answering questions and arguing for ideas and positions is a dress rehearsal for the future Malacañang occupant. Running a country involves a lot of questions and arguments–and the answers could shape the future.