Debate on Personality
THE second presidential debate in Cebu City last Sunday night spiraled into a contest on who can make his/her opponent more corrupt, the bigger liar, and thus the most unqualified from among the candidates to become the next president of the country.
It was all about name calling and accusations as well as crude repartees that one can only find along the “bangketas” and public markets, as well as sidewalks where uncouth, uneducated and boorish individuals with nothing else better to do with their lives pass the time away insulting each other.
That was what the presidential candidates have resorted to in reducing the supposedly intelligent debate into a mudslinging festival. From the getgo it was a no-holds barred attempt at blackening the reputation of an opponent with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte calling former DILG Secretary Mar Roxas a pretentious leader and with the latter responding in kind that while he is not afraid to die it is not right to kill (referring to claims by the former of having executed criminals). Vice President Jejomar Binay likewise chided Senator Grace Poe for not being a Filipino for having formerly pledged her allegiance to the United States of America while Poe also retorted that while Binay remained in the country he became a thief.
The second presidential debate was literally a discourse about the candidates themselves, how they appreciate each other’s reputation, track record in government service, patriotism and personality. It was never a debate as to who can present the more credible answers to problems and issues that have been hounding the country for decades. It was just an argument among and between themselves.
Such a shame. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) which spearheaded the presidential debates along with Philippine Star and TV5 should stop the formal arguments it had initiated since these presidential candidates will never abide by the rules of debate, and because they intend only to destroy their opponents to the presidency in whatever means and manner available, they will just utilize the forum to advance their inane and mundane causes.