Comelec to ask Congress to make debate attendance mandatory for candidates

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) plans to lobby Congress for a law that would make participation in future election debates mandatory for all candidates.

Comelec Commissioner George Erwin Garcia stated that non-attendance could potentially lead to disqualification or be considered an election offense.

He emphasized that debates are crucial platforms for candidates to communicate their plans and platforms to voters, allowing the public to gauge their readiness to address national issues.

Garcia commended the nine presidential candidates for their performance during the recent Comelec-hosted debate, noting their shared understanding of solutions to national issues.

Currently, Comelec cannot force candidates to attend debates as there is no enabling law.

The poll body has already held two presidential and one vice presidential debates for the May 2022 polls, with most candidates attending, except for Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and vice presidential bets Sara Duterte and Lito Atienza.