The country’s next potential presidents faced the public this Sunday, February 21, for the first PiliPinas Debates 2016, held at the Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro City.
The two-hour debate program was aired by GMA Network, in partnership with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Present during the debate were the five presidential candidates: Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Grace Poe, and Department of Interior and Local Government chief Mar Roxas.
The debate’s moderators were Kapuso news anchors Mike Enriquez and Jessica Soho, and Inquirer.net editor-in-chief John Nery.
Two candidates were paired for every question. The main candidate has to answer the question for 90 seconds, then the other candidate can give a rebuttal for 60 seconds. The main candidate can then choose to answer the rebuttal for 30 seconds.
The debate was divided into three rounds. The first was where they discussed the track record of each candidate.
The second round was about poverty reduction, and the third round had questions about Mindanao.
The first round featured pre-written questions that were specific to each candidate’s track record. They were asked according to the alphabetical order of their surnames.
BINAY’S PROPERTIES. The first question was for Vice President Jejomar Binay, and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago was asked to come up with a rebuttal.
The question was about the allegations that Binay has hidden properties that he did not declare in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
There were also allegations that the numerous properties that were actually declared in the SALN were ill-gotten.
Binay said his properties were not ill-gotten. They were his inheritance from his parents or his family bought them cleanly.
“Alam mo, tatlong dekada, ha? Ang haba na ng panahon na 'yan.
“Pero hindi ko natatandaan na sinabi ko na ang aking mga lupa ay puro sa mana.
“Yung iba naman dun nabili namin, at may kakayahan naman kaming makabili.
“Di naman porke kami ho ay nasa pamahalaan e wala kaming magagawang paraan para kami ay makabili ng mga pag-aari.
“Hindi po totoo na ako ho ay maraming lupa. Ito ho ay either namana ko, o ito ho ay nabili ko,” he explained.
For the rebuttal, Defensor-Santiago asked if these properties were taken before he became a government official.
In Binay’s answer, he stressed that he can buy properties even if he was not part of the government yet because he has earnings as a lawyer.
“Yung iba ay namana ko.
“Yung namana ko, namana ko na yun bago ho ako nalagay sa puwesto.
“Ako ho ay nanungkulan 1986, at bago ho ako nanungkulan ay nakapag-practice naman ako ng law, at ang misis ko naman po ay nakapag-practice ng pagka-doktora,” he said.
MIRIAM'S HEALTH. Next to be asked was Senator Defensor-Santiago. The panel discussed her health, particularly how she battled stage 4 of lung cancer.
Although Defensor-Santiago refused to release her medical records, she maintained that she is already cancer-free.
Will she be able to be an effective President even if her failing health gets in the way?
Defensor-Santiago sounded combative in her answer. She said there is no law that bars her from running.
“Hindi mo ba alam na ang sakit, tumataas o bumababa o nawawala?
“Magtatanong ka, 'Bakit may sakit ka, bakit tumatakbo ka?'
“E, diretso ko 'yan, karapatan ko 'yan sa ilalim ng... under our Constitution.
“Wala namang constitutional provision na if you are sick of something, you are disqualified,” she said.
The panel then pointed out that she was not able to attend to most of her duties as a senator because of her sickness.
She replied, “I was at the height of cancer, stage 4!
“Stage 4 is the last stage. Nag-antay ako mamatay pero hindi ako pinatay ng guardian angel ko, e.”
She added that her job as a senator may be harder than being a President.
“Pero kung tutuusin mo, ang senador, halos kapantay lang o sobra pa ang trabaho, kung ginagawa niya ang tama niyang trabaho, kasi kung minsan nilalabanan niya ang lahat ng senador laban sa kanya.
“Di kamukha ng presidente na lahat sa paligid niya, nag-a-alleluia sa kanya,” Defensor-Santiago said.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was asked for a rebuttal, but he said he does not want to argue.
“I do not see Senator Santiago passing away in the next 20 years,” he said.
Defensor-Santiago then stated that she wants to continue serving her country despite being ill.
She said, “My only purpose is to serve out the rest of my life.
“I'm only 70 years old. Plus six-year term as President, I would have served my country until 76.
“I did not want to spend the next six years lying in bed, feeling sorry for myself.”
EXAMPLE FOR THE YOUTH. The question for Davao City Mayor Duterte was about his actions that are not yet morally acceptable.
He readily admits that he is a womanizer and he peppers his dialogue with curse words.
The panel’s question for Duterte was about how his actions can be seen as a bad example for the youth.
Duterte admitted his affairs with women, because he says it is natural for him to have relationships.
“Kung hiwalay ka sa asawa, anong gawin mo sa sarili mo?
“E, anong gawin ko? Karga-karga ko, hindi ko mapagbili ito, hindi ko masangla, e. Gamitin mo dapat kundi mamatay ka,” he said.
In her rebuttal, Senator Grace Poe advised Duterte to be cautious.
“Kahit na papa'no sa tingin ko, kung ikaw ay malakas ang appeal sa mga babae, konting pigil sapagkat siyempre malay mo, yung mga lumalapit, may asawa, may boyfriend o kung ano pa man.
“Sa mata ng bata, ang mali ay nagiging tama kung ginagawa ng matanda,” she said.
But Duterte said he does not do these affairs in public.
“Lahat naman ito sa kuwarto 'yan.
“You don't front it on public. And I said if you have to do it, I said I'm separated from my wife, yung isang asawa nasa Amerika, yung nurse.
“So far and wide, in between those years... It's biology, actually it is biology,” he said.
LACK OF EXPERIENCE. The question for Senator Poe was about her lack of experience. She has the shortest time in government among the five candidates.
She has only served as the chairperson of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board for two years, and she is currently serving her first term as a senator.
Poe said the President should have a new perspective. She even quoted the song “Upuan” from Pinoy rapper Gloc-9.
“Sa ating mga kabataan, alam ko, alam niyo itong kanta ng Gloc-9, kayong mga nakaupo, subukan niyo namang tumayo para maramdaman niyo naman ang aking kalagayan, ang nararamdaman ko.
“Sa tingin ko sa lahat sa kanila, ako nga ang may pinakamaikling karanasan pero nakikita po bilang isang nanay kung ano ang pangangailangan ng isang pamilya.
“Sa aking maikling karanasan sa gobyerno, ako po ay nakapaghawak ng isang executive position na may management requirement,” she said.
DILG chief Mar Roxas rebutted Poe’s position, saying that the presidency is not “OJT” (on-the-job training).
“Ang pagiging Pangulo ay hindi OJT.
“Kinabukasan, buhay, kaunlaran ng isandaang milyong Pilipino ang nakasalalay dito.
“Kaya may tamang panahon para sa lahat.
“Para sa akin, yung karanasan ay isa sa pinakamahalagang katangian para sa pagiging Pangulo,” he said.
Roxas also added that Poe’s inexperience may be a detriment to decision-making.
“Papapa'no mo malalaman kung binobola ka o hindi?
“Papaa'no mo pipiliin kung anong rekomendasyon, dalawang magkaibang rekomendasyon ng mga cabinet secretary ang inyong pagdedesisyunan.
“Ito ay malalaking desisyon na kakailanganing gawin ng susunod na pangulo at kailangan ang tamang karansan, malinis na karanasan para diyan.”
Poe came off strongly in her counter-rebuttal.
“Alam ko naman kung binobola ako o hindi.
“Kahit na maikli ang aking panunungkulan sa gobyerno.
“Unang-una, tama si Secretary Mar. Naka-tatlong administrasyon na siya diyan.
“Nabigyan na ng ilang mga responsibilidad sa gobyerno.
“Pasensiya na rin po pero marami rin akong inimbestigahan katulad ng DILG at dun sa DOTC sa MRT.
“At sa tingin ko naman, hindi mo kailangan ng napakahabang karanasan para malaman na kulang ang tulong ng gobyerno sa transportasyon sa ating bayan,” Poe answered.
YOLANDA TRAGEDY. Roxas had the last question for the first round. He was asked to answer the allegations that he failed in the several positions that he has held in the current administration.
Critics say that there were graft and corruption that happened when he headed the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and the DILG.
Roxas denied these allegations point-by-point. He said there were no irregularities during his time in DOTC.
“Simulan natin sa DOTC.
“Nung ako po'y nasa DOTC, mahigit isandaang kontrata sa halagang higit-kumulang 100 bilyon ang napa-bid namin na walang anomalya, walang alingawngaw, walang kontrobersiya.
“'Yan nangyari lahat 'yan. Ports, airports, ibang mga imprastruktura na nangyayari at ginawa hanggang sa ngayon.”
He also said the problems with the MRT happened because the previous contracts were not satisfactory.
He explained, “Pangalawa sa MRT, bakit ko tinanggihan ang proposal ng pribadong sektor na magpatuloy ang kanilang kontrata sa MRT?
“Dahil gusto nilang pahabain ito ng 15 dagdag na taon itong maanomalyang kontrata na ngayon ay sanhi ng problema natin.
“Plus dadagdagan pa nila yung singil sa ating mga pasahero kaya tinanggihan ko 'yan.
“Diyan nagsimula yung ating paghahanap ng makabagong paraan para magkaroon tayo ng mga tren.
“Ang mga tren ay naandiyan na parating na, at sa susunod na mga buwan ay mapapakinabangan na ng ating mga kababayan.”
He also stressed that he did not neglect the victims of Yolanda, a typhoon that decimated the Bicol region in 2013.
In fact, he said, he is not like other politicians who used the tragedy for publicity.
“Ang Yolanda ang pinakamalakas na bagyo sa kasaysayan ng mundo.
“Ang buong gobyerno ay naandun. Nandun ako bago, habang, at pagkatapos ng bagyo.
“Hindi ako bumitiw hanggang nag-stabilize ang sitwasyon at hindi ako tulad ng iba na dumating, nag-helicopter, nag-turista, umalis at marami na ngayon na sinasabi,” he said.
Vice President Binay was called for a rebuttal. He said he might be the one Roxas accused of politicizing the tragedy, so he denied these claims.
“Kung ako ho ang pinatutungkulan ni Secretary Roxas sa pagkaka-helicopter, aba, e, yung helicopter marami ho akong nakita.
“E siya, nasaan ho siya?
“Pagkatapos ho nung lumindol, at mangyari yung sa Leyte, nawala na ho siya, kaya naman ho grabe ang galit sa kanya ng mga taga-Leyte...
“Dahil ho sa kapalpakan niya sa problema ni Yolanda,” Binay said.
Roxas again maintained that there was no negligence.
“Nandun po ako 16 na araw.
“Hindi ko binitawan, hindi ko kinalimutan at hindi ko ini-photo-op o pinulitika ang ating mga kababayan.
“Nandun ako simula, bago pa dumating ang Yolanda.
“Matitingnan kita, Mike, o kahit sino sa ating bansa, mata sa mata, at sabihin na lahat ng maaaring magawa sa kapanahunang iyon ay nagawa,” he said, finishing the debate’s first round.