Rules set for Cebu City bets’ debate

NO JEERING and cheering by supporters will be allowed when Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella face each other in a debate on Monday, May 6.

Osmeña and Labella, who are running for city mayor, will also not be allowed to ask each other questions that are too personal, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City Chapter President Regal Oliva said.

The debate organized by the IBP will be held from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Monday at the Cebu City Sports Club.

As of Friday, May 3, only Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan’s Osmeña and City Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos, who is running for vice mayor, and Labella of Barug-PDP Laban have confirmed to participate in the debate.

Labella’s running mate, former Cebu City mayor Michael Rama, and the three independent candidates for mayor have not responded to IBP’s invitation yet.

Oliva said they are hoping Rama will join the debate and have given him until Sunday, May 5, to confirm.

IBP Cebu City Chapter officers met with the candidates on Friday to discuss the rules of the debate.

As agreed, an IBP officer will moderate and ask candidates 12 to 15 questions regarding issues that concern the city. The candidates, in alphabetical order, will be asked to answer.

The candidates will also be given a chance to ask their opponents five questions. They will have five minutes to answer each question and another two minutes to rebut their opponent’s answer.

In an interview on Friday, Oliva said they will make sure the candidates’ questions for their opponents are not too personal.

A board of adjudicators, composed of lawyers and representatives from the clergy and academe, will decide whether or not the candidate should answer the question thrown by his or her opponent, especially if it touches on personal matters.

Oliva said the candidates’ supporters will not be allowed to cheer them on or jeer their opponents.

The mayoral candidates are each allowed to bring 150 supporters, while the candidates for vice mayor may bring 50 supporters.

Oliva said the debate will help voters choose the candidates they will vote for in the May 13 election. /