Comelec mulls heavier penalty for debate skippers

The Commission on Election (Comelec) will have a meeting on Wednesday to tackle possible additional and heavier sanctions against candidates who will skip the debates it organized.

In a radio interview, Comelec Commissioner George Garcia pointed out that Comelec wanted to impose heavier penalties but there is no law yet on the conduct of presidential and vice presidential debates.

“Sa Miyerkules, pag-uusapan pa namin ano pa ang pupuwede nating maipatupad na sanction na medyo mas mabigat na hindi magba-violate sa mga umiiral na batas natin at sa karapatan ng mga kandidato,” he said.

Garcia said the Comelec would impose sanctions and even disqualification if there is a law allowing it.

He added that they have to work on the matter as more debates will be organized by the Comelec.

On Sunday, vice presidential candidate Walden Bello called on the Comelec to penalize presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Sara Duterte, for not showing up at the debates organized by the poll body.

At the Comelec PiliPinas Debates 2022: The Turning Point for vice presidential aspirants, the candidates were asked to comment about their expertise that they can share with the president once elected in Eleksyon 2022.

Bello refused to answer, and instead, said he was pissed over the absence of the Davao City mayor in the debates. Marcos also skipped the presidential debate on Saturday.

"Sara Duterte is not with us, we're slashing one another for her benefit. I mean the Commission on Elections should do something about this. Commissioner, chair, maaari ba, [please] can you penalize these two people?”

“Marcos and Sara Duterte for not showing themselves up the Filipino people with the programs so that masuri ho ng Filipino people 'yung kanilang record and programs nila [so the Filipino people can scrutinize their record and programs]," Bello said.—Joviland Rita/LDF, GMA News