PiliPinas 2016 Cebu Presidential Debate: Part 2 goes to Grace Poe

MANILA, Philippines – Rappler editors named Grace Poe the winner of the second part of the 2nd presidential debate held at the University of the Philippines Cebu Sunday, March 20. (PiliPinas 2016 Cebu Presidential Debate: Winners of Part 1) 

In the second part of the debate, candidates asked each other questions (the order was pre-determined). The first part of the debate, divided by commercial breaks into 3 segments, had candidates being asked questions from a panel of journalists. 

Rappler editors based the choice of winner on how the candidate answered the question specifically directed at him or her. 

Grace Poe was the most specific and consistent in answering her question from Rodrigo Duterte. 

Maritime conflict 

Duterte’s question for Poe centered on maritime conflict. 

Based on previous interviews, Senator Grace Poe has been consistent in her stand on the PH-China maritime dispute. During the debate, she said she believes that coordinating with other ASEAN countries such as Singapore and Indonesia can help the country in proving that China is wrong about its claims on the West Philippine Sea and that PH should continue with its arbitration case. 

In her 20-point agenda, she also promised to strengthen the Coast Guard and the Armed Forces.

She, however, said before that the Philippines should not rely on the US to defend itself against China, but during the debate, she mentioned the Visiting Forces Agreement which allows US troops to train in the PH. 

Zamboanga siege, Yolanda, Mamasapano

Roxas also was put on the defensive regarding the 2013 Zamboanga siege question thrown at him by Poe. The crisis did end, but only after 3 weeks. A crisis situation like that took some time to be addressed. Poe told Roxas that President Benigno Aquino III had to go to Zamboanga to help oversee the counter-attack against the Moro National Liberation Front rebels who attacked the city. Roxas did not answer this directly, citing few casualities on the part of the hostages. 

Poe also said that Roxas’ blunder in Zamboanga and in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda was probably the reason Aquino excluded him from the decision to allow special police forces to raid a village in Mamasapano town in January 2015 to arrest a terrorist. Roxas did not adequately respond to these issues.

Parking building 

Meanwhile, Binay was questioned by Roxas about corruption allegations. Binay still has to explain how original P280 million budget for the Makati parking building got bloated to about P2 billion. He should have discussed the various contracts and the expensive toiletries, way above market price of the items the Makati government bought.

When asked by Roxas about the overpriced equipment at the Ospital ng Makati cited in a COA report, Binay initially skirts the question but later says, “We are entitled to buy mamahalin (expensive items).”

The items include sterilizers said to cost P16,000 per unit but were purchased by the Makati government for P1.5 million a piece, and ultrasound equipment priced at P1.3 million but bought for P8 million. Explaining the discrepancy, the Vice President says, “Hindi sa presyo titingnan kung tama ang kalidad ng binibili (You look at the quality, and not the price).”

Binay’s question for Duterte?

Binay did not ask Duterte any question, saying that the two were qualified to be president. Duterte responded, saying Binay was “more qualified” to be president. The two shook hands.

Criteria 

Rappler editors judged the winner based on the following criteria:

• Truthfulness (values, consistency)
• Overall impact (vision, leadership, ability to articulate thoughts)
• Knowledge/facts on file

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago skipped this debate for health reasons, as she was set to participate in a clinical trial for a “new, unnamed anti-cancer pill.”

Cause of delay

The atmosphere minutes before the main event had already been tinged with tension, as viewers complained about the delay leading up to the debate, which had been scheduled for 5pm but started 90 minutes later, at around 6:30 pm. 

The delay was later attributed to an apparent last-minute argument by camps over debate rules. (READ: Cebu debate delay: Can candidates bring notes?)

The Cebu debate, held Sunday, March 20, at University of the Philippines Cebu, is the second in a series featuring the presidential candidates. It is mounted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and its media partners. TV5 and The Philippine Star organized this event. Click here to read a recap of what happened in the first presidential debate, held last February in Cagayan de Oro. – Rappler.com

More from the debate:

• 2nd presidential debate adds ‘Yes or No’ segment
• PiliPinas 2016 Cebu Presidential Debate: Winners of Part 1
• Roxas, Duterte, Poe ‘gang up’ on Binay in debate
• #PiliPinasDeLate? Delayed Cebu debate stirs confusion on social media
• Binay to rivals: Let’s sign bank waiver together
• Duterte gets netizens’ vote in Round 1 of 2nd presidential debate
• Still top choice: Duterte is netizens’ pick for Round 2, Part 1 of debate
• Poe, Binay face off on rule of law, corruption, citizenship
• Cebu presidential debate: All candidates against divorce
• Miriam Santiago ‘joins’ Cebu debate despite absence
• Duterte still netizens’ winner in Round 3 of Cebu presidential debate
• Cebu presidential debate: Duterte, Poe favor return of death penalty
• #PHVote: Advocates dismayed at presidential bets’ ‘catfight’ over coal
• Netizens praise sign language interpreters in Cebu presidential debate
• One-on-one debate: Duterte still netizens’ choice
• Duterte to Roxas: You are pretentious, a fraud
• Binay, Duterte want hero’s burial for Marcos
• PiliPinas 2016 Cebu Presidential Debate: Part 2 goes to Grace Poe