Election 2019: Otso Diretso Challenges Hugpong Ng Pagbabago To Debate

Otso Diretso and Hugpong Ng Pagbabago debate for Election 2019, will it happen or not?

Opposition’s senatorial candidates collectively known as Otso Diretso challenged the administration’s Hugpong Ng Pagbabago to a debate for Election 2019.

Five of the 8 senatorial candidates from the opposition, Rep. Gary Alejano (Magdalo party-list), Florin Hilbay, Romulo Macalintal, Samira Gutoc, and Erin Tañada, went to Commission On Election’s main office in Intramuros, Manila to file their request.

They want the COMELEC to organize the said debate between Otso Diretso candidates and those who are under Sara Duterte’s Hugpong Ng Pagbabago.

Election 2019 Otso Diretso
Photo source: Philstar

Based on the report from The Philippine Star, opposition’s senatorial candidates stated that the debate will be beneficial for the voting public.

“The voting public has the right to know the platform and position of the candidates on various issues,” the letter from Otso Diretso stated.

These are the topics that will be discussed during the debate:

  • foreign presence in local waters
  • TRAIN law
  • unsolved murders
  • corruption and cronyism
  • massive unemployment
  • the surge in the numbers of Chinese workers
Election 2019 Hugpong Ng Pagbabago
Photo source: Rappler

Macalintal said, “The opposition said they want a third party organizer and not market like debate, so we thought of the Comelec and we are hoping the administration bets will finally accept our challenge.”

He added that the voting public will not know how candidates will deal with the important issues by just offering entertainment during campaign sorties.

Meanwhile, Alejano said that it is vital to have a debate with HNP candidates because they are the ones who should explain the controversies involving the present administration, based on the report.

What can you say about this?

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