The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is expecting to finish the investigation on the issue of the last leg of the PiliPinas Debates 2022 by Friday, April 29.
Poll Commissioner Rey E. Bulay on Friday, April 22, said he will probe the matter.
In a DZMM radio interview, Comelec Commissioner George Erwin M. Garcia said that Bulay told the poll body that he only needs a week to investigate the issue of the postponed debate.
“Commissioner Bulay asked for one whole week to finish the investigation on this matter,” he said in Filipino.
Garcia said his fellow commissioner immediately sent letters to concerned individuals, asking them to provide a written explanation of why the supposed debates on April 23 and 24 did not push through.
Meanwhile, Garcia has asked the public to give the individuals involved in the issue the benefit of the doubt as they are still innocent unless proven otherwise.
He clarified that the Comelec did not release even a dime yet for the project.
As to the supposed P15 million purchase order (PO) to Impact Hub Manila, Garcia said if it has been processed, it will not be released pending the result of the probe.
“‘Di ko po kasi nakita ‘yung PO na ‘yan. Nabanggit lang din. I guess po at this point ‘di po muna siya ma process o kung na process man wala i-release whatsoever pending the outcome of the investigation (I haven’t seen that PO. It was mentioned to me. I guess at this point is that it will not be processed or if it has been already processed, it will not be released whatsoever pending the outcome of the investigation),” he told reporters when asked about the matter.
Garcia said Comelec will wait until Tuesday, April 26, for the attendance confirmation of presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the rescheduled debates.
The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) will help the poll body to organize the said debates. The poll commissioner said the KBP asked the Comelec for the presence of all bets.
In a statement released on Saturday, April 23, Impact Hub Manila said the Comelec “is not a party to the contract between Impact Hub Manila and Sofitel.”
The private company said “misunderstanding” led to the postponement of the last leg of the PiliPinas Debates 2022.
On April 22, Garcia announced the postponement of the PiliPinas Debates: 2022, saying there are “unforeseen circumstances that’s impossible for the Commission to proceed with the debate by Saturday and Sunday.”
Comelec said the last leg of the presidential and vice-presidential debates will be reset on April 30 and May 1.