MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday formally rejected the request of opposition slate “Otso Diretso” to craft rules for an official debate for senatorial candidates running in the upcoming midterm elections.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said in a statement that granting the request of the opposition senatorial bets will be “tantamount to giving preferential treatment to some senatorial candidates or slates.”
He added: “It would be practically impossible, logistically, to conduct meaningful debates involving all 62 senatorial candidates, without risking allegations of preferential treatment.”
Jimenez also said “there are considerable time constraints, with only about two months remaining in the campaign period.”
“Otso Diresto” senatorial bets have requested the Comelec to organize a debate between them and the administration-aligned Hugpong Ng Pagbabago bets after the latter candidates failed to attend the debates organized by TV stations.
‘COMELEC WEAK’
Otso Diretso candidates Romulo Macalintal and Erin Tañada, meanwhile, lambasted the election body for being weak for not making it possible for them to have a debate with HNP bets.
“That only shows the weakness of the Comelec. Napakahina naman ng ating Commission on Elections para hindi ‘yan gawan ng paraan,” veteran election lawyer Macalintal said in a press conference in Marikina City.
“Kaysa aksayahin ng Comelec ang oras sa kakaikot, kakatingin saan nakalagay ang illegal posters, dapat gawin nito ang trabaho na magkaroon tayo ng well-informed electorate,” he added.
Tañada, for his part, said: “Ang hinihingi lang naman ng Otso Diretso ay maging maliwanag ang rules.”/PN
