VP Binay says all presidential candidates will miss Sen. Santiago’s presence in upcoming debate

Vice President Jejomar Binay.
(Photo courtesy of Jojo Binay on Facebook.)

MANILA—United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday said that he will pray for the fast recovery of Presidential aspirant Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago as she announced that she will not attend the second presidential debate in Cebu on Sunday.

”Sen. Miriam Santiago has been a fighter since our student council days at the University of the Philippines. I wish her well and pray for her fast recovery,” Binay said.

”I am sure that all of the presidential candidates will miss her presence in the upcoming debate,” he added.

Santiago will undergo a clinical trial for a new anti-cancer pill and the trial will require the senator to report for outpatient radiation treatment at the hospital daily for a short period.

Santiago said that she will try to participate in the third presidential debate in Pangasinan on April 24 if the ongoing treatment will allow her.

Meanwhile, Binay is hoping for a better presidential debate where he can explain his platforms come Sunday.

The second leg of the presidential debate, hosted by the Commission on Elections, will be held at the Performance Arts Hall of the University of the Philippines-Cebu on March 20, Sunday.

Binay said that the presidential debate was pursuant to one of the obligations of Comelec to help educate the voters about the candidates’ platforms and programs.

Organizers of the debate said the format and topic would be different from the first debate which occurred last Feb.

21.

Binay also called the first debate held in Cagayan De Oro a “misnomer,” saying it was not actually a debate.

Binay and four other candidates will face off and share insights on various topics, such as climate change, disaster preparedness, education, women’s rights and health.

“We will know on Sunday whether they have made changes, particularly time allotted for candidates to speak about their platform,” the Vice President.