4 podiums on #PiliPinasDebates stage with Miriam's absence at Visayas leg

Four podiums will be onstage for the second leg of the 2016 PiliPinas Debates with the absence of presidential candidate Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

This is despite the earlier agreement between the candidates' camps, the Commission on Elections, and the TV networks mounting the debates that the podium of the missing candidate will be kept in his or her supposed place.

According to TV5 news production head Patrick Paez, they thought it was "the prudent thing to do" given the reason for Santiago's absence.

The senator announced that she will not be at the Visayas leg of the  presidential debates as she is participating in a clinical trial for a new drug for cancer.

Santiago, who announced in 2014 that she was diagnosed for Stage 4 lung cancer, has repeatedly assured that she has gotten better since.

While she will not be at the debates, the senator's camp requested that 15 slots at the main debate hall assigned to her supporters still be given to them.

Santiago's absence leaves four presidential candidates to engage in a three-hour debate, longer by an hour than the first one in Cagayan de Oro City. 

While in panel format, TV5 announced that candidates will get a chance to ask each other questions on the second half of the event.

It added that candidates may also engage in the first part, even with a panel of broadcast journalists from the network assigned to ask them questions.

The debate will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., live from the University of the Philippines-Cebu. —ALG, GMA News