Vice presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte will not participate in the debate organized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on March 20, her spokesperson said Friday.
In a text message, Liloan Mayor Cristina Frasco said Mayor Sara’s camp did not receive any formal invitation from the poll body regarding the debate.
“Vice Presidential candidate Sara Duterte and her team have not received any formal invitation from the Comelec to join the debate despite their public announcement of her confirmation to attend the event,” Frasco said.
“Be that as it may, whether or not there is an invitation, Sara Duterte will not be attending the debate,” she added.
There was no immediate reaction from the Comelec, the government’s election watchdog.
Two days into the weekend, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said all vice presidential bets confirmed their attendance except for House Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza, who is undergoing surgery.
Earlier this week, on Wednesday, the Comelec approved during its en banc session on Wednesday the staging of the historic debates set this weekend at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.
The CNN Philippines management assured the poll body that it had invited all candidates and complied with the health guidelines set by Comelec and Inter-Agency Task Force.
The network will also submit all documents necessary for the accreditation of the highly anticipated debates.
At the same time, CNN reported that representatives of the candidates attended the pre-event briefing at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion where they were briefed on the health and security protocols, and podium assignments to be observed during the debates.
Comelec also said the appearance of candidates in the poll body-accredited debates would not be counted against their airtime.
Seven out of the nine vice presidential bets will participate in Saturday’s debate: former party-list representative Walden Bello, radio commentator Rizalito David, activist Manny SD Lopez, Dr. Willie
Ong, Senator Francis Pangilinan, religious group leader Carlos Serapio, and Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
In the presidential debate on Sunday, only former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos will not be present.
Former presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella, former Defense chief Norberto Gonzales, labor leader Leody De Guzman, Senator Panfilo Lacson, Muslim leader Faisal Mangondato, physician-lawyer Joey Montemayor, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Senator Manny Pacquiao, and Vice President Leni Robredo have all confirmed their attendance.