Presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo on Friday challenged her presidential rival Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. in a one-on-one debate.
"Inaanyayahan ko si Ginoong Bongbong Marcos na makipagdebate, para mabigyan ang taumbayan ng pagkakataong makaharap siya at matanong tungkol sa mga kontrobersiyang pumapalibot sa kanya," Robredo said in a statement.
(I am inviting Mr. Bongbong Marcos to a debate, so the people can get the chance to face him and ask him questions about the controversies surrounding him.)
"We owe it to the people and to our country. Kung papayag po kayo, anytime, anywhere, darating ako."
(We owe it to the people and to our country. If you accept, anytime, anywhere, I will be there.)
Robredo issued the challenge saying Marcos is the last remaining candidate who has yet to join other presidentiables in a debate after skipping previous ones hosted by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
"Mahalaga sana ito para masuri kami ng publiko, at para marinig nila at mapagkumpara ang vision at pagkatao namin," said Robredo.
(This would be important so the public can scrutinize us, so they can also hear and compare our vision and our characters.)
Robredo skips COMELEC-hosted panel interview
Her statement came after Marcos Jr. announced that he will be not be participating in the panel interview organized by the COMELEC and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), which Robredo also said she will be skipping.
According to the vice president, she has decided to be with her volunteers in the campaign, adding that she has already laid out her platforms in previous interviews.
"Halos tatlong buwan nang tumatakbo ang official campaign period, at naihayag ko na sa maraming pagkakataon ang track record, mga plano, at mga prinsipyo ko," she said in a statement. "Maraming beses na akong nagbigay ng panayam sa mga panel interview at naka-post online ang lahat ng recording na ito."
(The campaign period has been running for almost three months, and I have aired my track record, my plans, my principles so many times. I have granted panel interviews and these are all posted online.)
"Nagpasya akong hindi muna paunlakan ang imbitasyon ng COMELEC at KBP, para makapiling ang mga volunteers natin na nag-aabono, nag-aambagan, at nagbubuhos ng oras at pagod para makasama tayo."
(I have decided that I would not be joining the invitation of the COMELEC and the KBP to join my volunteers who have spent, contributed, and poured in time and effort just to be with us.)
Robredo's decision to decline came after the COMELEC announced that it is converting its debate-style PiliPinas Forum 2022 to a panel interview.
The camp of Marcos Jr. has yet to issue a statement on Robredo's challenge.
