VP Binay gets most Twitter mentions during debate’s delay

Vice President Jejomar Binay more than 90,000 mentions on Twitter during the delay prior to the second leg of the PiliPinas Debates 2016 at the University of the Philippines in Cebu on Sunday.

Binay, the last among the four presidential candidates to take the podium at the venue, insisted on bringing notes during the debate.

Notes, however, are not allowed under the rules set by the Commission on Elections.

The Binay camp said that it was told that Binay could bring his notes to the debate.

TV5's Luchi Cruz-Valdes later apologized for telling the Vice President's camp that he could do so.

The event was originally scheduled to start at 4:30 pm, but it was delayed by two hours as candidates debated on whether to allow Binay to bring his notes.

Binay drew more than 96,000 tweets during the lull, while Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was mentioned in 32,000 tweets as he attempted to break the ice with jokes.

Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas followed with 18,000 mentions, while Senator Grace Poe drew 6,000 tweets.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who skipped the debates due to health reasons, was mentioned in 5,000 tweets. —Marisse Panaligan/NB, GMA News