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Comelec to mull resolution on debate absentees; VP bet Bello explains why he sang

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Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Comelec officials join 7 Vice Presidential candidates before the start of the #PilipinasDebates2022: The Turning Point-The Vice Presidential Debate at the Sofitel Tent in Pasay City on March 20, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/03/20/20220320-ph-election-comelec-vp-debates-md4.jpg"/><figcaption>Comelec officials join 7 Vice Presidential candidates before the start of the #PilipinasDebates2022: The Turning Point-The Vice Presidential Debate at the Sofitel Tent in Pasay City on March 20, 2022. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will discuss in its upcoming en banc meeting this Wednesday how it would address the issue of candidates skipping the Comelec-sponsored debates, the commission’s chair said Sunday.</p><p>Comelec chair Saidamen Pangarungan told reporters after the first vice presidential leg of the PiliPinas Debates 2022 that the commission will consider putting out a resolution to compel candidates to participate.</p><p>One candidate for the presidency, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and 2 for the vice-presidency, Lito Atienza and Sara Duterte-Carpio, failed to attend the first round of debates.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/19/22/marcos-says-campaigning-better-than-joining-debate">Bongbong says better off campaigning than joining debate</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/20/22/sara-duterte-lito-atienza-expected-to-skip-vp-debate">Sara Duterte-Carpio, Lito Atienza expected to skip Comelec-organized VP debate</a></li></ul><p>“Definitely we will address this particular problem in our next en banc session on Wednesday. You know, the Comelec is a collegial body. Lahat ng mga important decisions dadaan diyan,” Pangarungan said.</p><p>“We will discuss that. Mahirap, it might be premature, ‘yong opinion ko diyan, you have to consult the other commissioners on this.”</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Comelec chair Saidamen Pangarungan responds to VP bet Walden Bello’s call for more stringent penalties on candidates who skip official debates, says Comelec cannot compel them to attend the debates.<br/><br/><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PiliPinasDebates2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PiliPinasDebates2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Halalan2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Halalan2022</a> <a href="https://t.co/VajAIxwUox">pic.twitter.com/VajAIxwUox</a></p>— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) <a href="https://twitter.com/anjo_bagaoisan/status/1505550651895418889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2022</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Vice presidential bet Walden Bello went off-topic multiple times during the VP debate to call out UniTeam candidates Marcos Jr. and Duterte-Carpio, as well as slam the Comelec for its “weak” penalty for non-attendance.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/20/22/bello-sings-sinatra-twits-bongbong-sara">Walden Bello sings Sinatra, twits Bongbong-Sara</a></li></ul><p>Pangarungan maintained that attendance in the debates is still voluntary.</p><p>Candidates who do not attend will lose slots at the Comelec’s e-rallies.</p><p>Commissioner George Garcia, who heads the Comelec’s debate committee, reiterated his call for a law that would enforce participation in debates but vowed they would tackle what other sanctions they can impose for non-attendance.</p><p>“Napaka-importante po ‘yong batas. Alam niyo po ‘yong Comelec can only implement the laws na mayroon tayo na pinu-promulgate ng ating legislative . So there should be a law. Kasi remember, may punishment, halimbawa, ang punishment manggagaling sa ating legislature. Hindi pwede ang Comelec magpu-punish ng walang batas,” he said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="Comelec won" t="" turn="" away="" candidates="" on="" debate="" even="" without="" prior="">Comelec to sanction debate skippers, assures confidentiality of debate questions</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/14/22/comelec-wont-turn-away-candidates-on-debate-day">https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/07/22/comelec-to-sanction-debate-skippers-assures-confidentiality-of-debate-questions</a></li></ul><div><strong>BELLO MIGHT SKIP 2ND VP DEBATE</strong></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Bello on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PiliPinasDebates2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PiliPinasDebates2022</a> absentees:<br/><br/>“It is already becoming some sort of circus na parang mga gladiators na nagpapatayan sa arena habang ang emperor nakatingin sa amin, pumapalakpak.”<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Halalan2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Halalan2022</a> <a href="https://t.co/sRmKtrtSF8">pic.twitter.com/sRmKtrtSF8</a></p>— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) <a href="https://twitter.com/anjo_bagaoisan/status/1505555793080643593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2022</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>After the debate, Bello told media that he is considering skipping the next vice presidential debate unless Marcos Jr. and Duterte show up.</p><p>“My sense is I’ll probably not attend. It is already becoming some sort of circus na parang mga gladiators na nagpapatayan sa arena habang ang emperor nakatingin sa amin, pumapalakpak. So I don’t want to give the Marcoses and the Dutertes that kind of thing,” he said.</p><p>“I don’t really feel motivated to attend the next debate. And the Comelec will have to find a way to motivate me.”</p><p>However, Bello said that Marcos Jr. and Duterte, the current survey frontrunners, could attend the debates if their survey numbers go down in the coming weeks.</p><p>Before breaking into song at the end of the media interview, Bello admitted his frustration at the candidates’ non-attendance led him to sing during the debate instead of walking out as he first threatened to do.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">“Where are you? Nasaan ka? Nasaan ang pera? Ibalik mo na ang pera…”<br/><br/>Walden Bello again sings his take on the Frank Sinatra song which he delivered during the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PiliPinasDebates2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PiliPinasDebates2022</a>, which he “dedicated” to Bongbong Marcos Jr &amp; Sara Duterte. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Halalan2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Halalan2022</a> <a href="https://t.co/WnsVeizs6J">pic.twitter.com/WnsVeizs6J</a></p>— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) <a href="https://twitter.com/anjo_bagaoisan/status/1505557878920605698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2022</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>“I think the message got through much better than a walkout. So, I don’t know if my voice was that good. Pero alam mo naman, si Frank Sinatra was one of my favorites. Bigla ko na lang naalala ‘yong kanta niyang ‘Where Are You’,” he said.</p><p>“I hope that it made a difference.”</p><p>The next 2 rounds of the PiliPinas Debates for presidential candidates are set for April 3 and April 23, with the last being a town hall.</p><p>The second and final VP debate will be held on April 24.</p>

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will discuss in its upcoming en banc meeting how it would address the issue of candidates skipping debates.

Comelec to mull resolution on debate absentees; VP bet Bello explains why he sang

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Comelec to mull resolution on debate absentees; VP bet Bello explains why he sang

Anjo Bagaoisan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 21, 2022 12:27 AM PHT

Read More:

Halalan 2022

2022 elections

eleksyon

PiliPinas Debates

vice presidential debate

Comelec

Commission on Elections

debate attendance

Walden Bello

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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