Pacquiao wants face-to-face prexy debate, backs amendments to substitution rule in election laws

Senator Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday pushed for an in-person presidential debates for the 2022 national and local elections.

“Personal. Face-to-face, bakit online? Ano, natatakot sila? ‘Wag na online, online para magkaalaman… Sinasabi ko sa inyo, hindi ako papasok dito kung di ko alam gagawin ko,” Pacquiao said in an interview during his visit in Baguio City.

(We should hold it in person. Face-to-face. Why online? Are they afraid? I am ready. I will not make a decision [to run for president] if I am not aware of what I am doing.)

The lawmaker also said he is not preparing for a head-to-head debate with a specific candidate.

“Wala ako tinatago. Sincere naman ako, wala akong kailangan paghandaan na…baka itanong itong bagay na ito na tinatago ko, wala akong ganoon,” he said.

(I have nothing to hide. I am sincere and I don't need to prepare for questions that will question my integrity. I have nothing to hide.)

Agenda

Pacquiao reiterated the following agenda which he said he will highlight during the presidential debates: anti-corruption drive, economic growth and development, employment, livelihood, healthcare, and housing.

Moreover, the senator expressed support to proposals removing withdrawal as one of grounds for candidate substitution.

“‘Yung substitution na ‘yan gusto ko amyendahan din ‘yan dahil…inaabuso naman, siguro palitan, i-specify natin doon may substitution pa rin pero dun lang sa  kung namatay ang nag-file, nasiraan ang ulo hindi na makatuloy ng kampanya, o nagkasakit nang malubha, ‘yun lang siguro ang puwedeng mag-substitute,” the lawmaker said.

(I want to amend the rule on substitution because that has been abused. Maybe we can change it and specify in the law that substitution can only be applied to candidates who died, who became mentally ill, or those who have terminal illnesses.)

“Wala na ‘yung withdrawal, kasi na-abuse na e, niloloko ang [taumbayan] e,” he added.

(We should scrap the substitution for withdrawn candidacies because that has been abused. They are fooling the public.)

On Monday, at least five senators have filed a bill seeking to amend the Omnibus Election Code by removing withdrawal as a basis of a candidate’s substitution.

Senate Bill 2439 deletes the word “withdrawal” from  Article IX, Section 77 of the Omnibus Election Code and replaces it with the phrase “becomes incapacitated.”

Currently, the provision of the law reads as follow: “If after the last day for the filing of certificates of candidacy, an official candidate of a registered or accredited political party dies, withdraws or is disqualified for any cause, only a person belonging to, and certified by, the same political party may file a certificate of candidacy to replace the candidate who died, withdrew or was disqualified.”

The measure was filed by Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, and Joel Villanueva.

Apart from Pacquiao and the five senators who filed the measure, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Panfilo Lacson likewise backed calls to amend the substitution rule in the election law. — RSJ, GMA News