Lacson-Sotto tandem most likely to skip last Comelec debates after sudden change in schedule

ANTIPOLO CITY, Rizal— Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson and vice presidential candidate Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday said they will most likely skip the last debate sponsored by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) after the recent changes in its schedule.

“In all likelihood, baka i-skip na lang namin ang debates pag ka ganyan (In all likelihood, we might skip the debates if that is the situation),” Lacson told reporters in a press conference.

Sotto said he is also considering skipping the event, citing their tight schedule next week.

“Yes, I’m seriously considering skipping the debates. I cannot just move my schedule,” the vice presidential bet added.

With more than two weeks before the campaign period ends, the lawmakers explained they will have a hard time catching up with their schedule which was prepared ahead of time.

“Ang campaign period will end on May 7. So, that's 15 days from now tapos biglang mag-a-adjust ng schedule. Medyo mahirap. ‘Yon naman talaga ang main reason, not because ayaw na naming mag-attend, may mga schedule talagang dapat sundin,” Lacson said.

(The campaign period will end on May 7. So that’s 15 days from now then all of the sudden they will adjust the schedule. That would be difficult for us. That is the main reason why we are skipping the debates, not because we don’t want to attend anymore. There are schedules that we should follow.)

For his part, Sotto said he would need to attend the campaign rallies of the members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) across the country.

“In my case, I have 1,840 NPC members running for reelection. Ang dami kong dapat asikasuhing kapartido…mga schedule ng Lacson-Sotto Support Group tapos biglang iuusog?” Sotto quipped.

(There are many events that I have to attend to—those of my partymates and the Lacson-Sotto Support Group.)

Lacson also criticized Comelec’s decision to enter into a partnership in holding the debates.

“I cannot understand why Comelec will have to course through a lease contract of a venue of the vice presidential and presidential debates sa isang (with a) private contractor. We have to review the provisions ng RA 9184 ng Government Procurement Act on this,” he said.

“Kung aking matandaan (If I can recall), if we are renting or leasing a property para gawing (to use as a) satellite office as per [Commission on Audit] rules nagka-canvass lang kami ng (we will canvass the) cheapest, may mga (there are) guidelines… Comelec could have done it by themselves,” he explained.

Last March 7, Comelec and Impact Hub Manila, the group behind Vote Pilipinas, inked a memorandum of agreement for the conduct of Comelec-sanctioned presidential and vice presidential debates ahead of Eleksyon 2022.

Vote Pilipinas is the official voter information campaign partner of the Comelec.

Further, Lacson said he does not have to prove himself in the debates should he decide to skip the last episode of the Comelec-sanctioned forum.

“Ako (for me), it doesn’t matter. I have proven myself in the last two presidential debates and other forums. So it won’t affect me that much. ‘Yung mga naghahabol para ipakita ‘yung kanilang kakayahan sa debates ang dapat manghinayang, para makapag-ready sila, makapag-prepare better but in my case, I have proven myself enough,” he said.

On the other hand, Sotto stood firm that they are principled enough to follow their commitments related to their campaign activities.

“Kasi may prinsipyo kami e. Papaano ‘yung mga naka-schedule sa akin na mga kapartido ko? Bigla na lang sasabihin na teka lang postpone natin. Kailan pa? Di ba? Nakakahiya e,” he said.

(We are principled. How about the schedules of my partymates? It is a shame if I will not keep my word.)

“I’d rather sacrifice ‘yung pagkakataon na mga ganyan than [become] unprincipled as far as kausap. Matino kami kausap e. Kapag naka-schedule na kami, nakaschedule na kami…Tigilan na lang nila. Cancel na lang nila 'yang debate na ‘yan,” he added.

(I’d rather sacrifice the chance than become unprincipled as far as commitments are concerned. We keep our promises. If we already plotted a schedule, we will definitely show up. They should just cancel the debates.)

In a press conference earlier in the day, the Comelec commissioners announced that the vice presidential and presidential townhall debates set for April 23 and 24, have been rescheduled to April 30 and May 1, respectively.

The debates were postponed after it was reported on Thursday that Comelec's contractor, Impact Hub Manila, has yet to fully pay Sofitel Garden Plaza, the event's official venue, prompting its owner Philippine Plaza Holdings Inc. (PPHI) to threaten to pull out from their agreement.

PPHI, according to reports, has demanded payment after the checks Impact Hub issued bounced.—AOL, GMA News