Debate set on Nov. 27

MANILA, Philippines - The public debate between Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV will push through on Nov. 27.

The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) announced yesterday that representatives of both camps have agreed on the date of the debate as well as the guidelines tions for the venue, which it could not disclose yet.

The debate would be held from 10 a.m. to noon, with the KBP serving as moderator.

The KBP and the parties involved were still working out the mechanics of the debate.

Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla and his brother, former congressman Crispin Remulla, represented Binay in the meeting, while lawyer Reynaldo Robles represented Trillanes.

“We will wait if the Vice President will agree to it (ground rules),” Remulla, also Binay’s official spokesman, said after the meeting.

“Although Senator Trillanes had earlier set Nov. 22 as deadline, we agreed to hold it on Nov. 27 just to make this debate take place,” Robles said in Filipino.

KBP executive Teodoro Besbano said they would make sure the conduct of the debate “will be high-level and dignified.”

During an event of the KBP last month, Binay challenged Trillanes to a one-on-one debate.

Binay said he wanted to debate Trillanes so he could answer allegations of illegal wealth against him point by point.

Trillanes earlier said he believed Binay would back out despite his perceived advantage.

The Vice President had said he chose to answer all the corruption allegations thrown at him by some senators directly to the people, instead of attending the ongoing Senate investigation.

He branded the Senate investigation as a “kangaroo court.”

“They are prejudiced. It’s a kangaroo court. They already have the decision. They are not investigating … their intention really is to discredit me,” he said.