Chel Diokno: Hugpong bets shouldn’t hide behind Sara Duterte

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno said candidates should be the ones to participate in a debate and not Davao City Mayor and Hugpong ng Pagbabago campaign manager Sara Duterte.

Diokno said this, in an interview in Hong Kong, after the mayor said that she was willing to debate against the candidates under the Otso Diretso opposition coalition, of which Diokno is a member.

"I would have no problem with that kung si Mayor Sara ay kandidato. Hindi naman siya ang magiging senador, hindi naman siya ang mambabatas diyan," Diokno said.

"So papaano pa rin malalaman ng taumbayan kung yung mga kandidato niya ay may kakayahan? It’s like they are trying to hide behind her. Kung talagang may kaya sila, if they have the capacity then why don’t they come forward? Why do they have someone else debate for them? Wala namang proxy sa Senado eh," he added.

On Friday, the Commissions on Elections rejected Otso Diretso's request to organize a debate against among the senatorial candidates.

Diokno said that debates are an integral procedure in the Senate especially when a bill is being proposed and therefore the public needs to know who can become a capable senator.

"Kaya talagang central to being a senator is being able to debate. Kaya dapat sa kampanya pa lang malaman ng taumbayan kung sino ba ang may kakayahan na magdebate. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit ayaw ng mga ibang kandidatong makipagdebate, tutal yun talaga ang gagawin natin at hindi maiiwasan yan pagdating sa Senado," he said.

"Ngayon, ang gusto kasi nila padamihan na lang ng tarp, padamihan ng advertisement, kantahan, tawanan, hindi naman yun ang gagawin natin sa Senado. It’s about time that we elevate the discourse. It’s about time na gawin talaga natin yung talagang malaman ng taumbayan magkaalaman na kung sino talaga ang may kakayahan maging senador," he added. — MDM, GMA News