News and analysis

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has agreed to a second election debate with Anthony Albanese in a move that challenges the Labor leader to commit to the free-to-air forum to be broadcast in prime time on Sunday, May 8.

Scott Morrison has contrasted his “busy” schedule while isolating with Covid earlier this year with Anthony Albanese’s “quiet” week at home during the campaign, while pushing for two commercial TV election debates next week.

Only 2 out of 10 presidential candidates have confirmed their participation in the Commission on Elections (Comelec) panel interview hours before the deadline on Thursday.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) on Thursday signed a partnership agreement to stage a series of panel interviews with presidential and vice presidential candidates in place of the botched PiliPinas Debates.

Elections Commissioner Rey Bulay said he had been unaware until last week of the questionable details of the deal made last March with the organizer of the presidential and vice-presidential debates sponsored by the Commission on Elections.

A propósito de Gustavo Petro, el candidato del Pacto Histórico, se ha ausentado a varios de los debates que han organizado los principales medios de comunicación.

Celebrity physician turned politician Dr. Mehmet Oz debated his GOP rivals for the first time Monday night in the race to replace retiring Pennsylvania Republican U.S. Senator Pat Toomey.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rey Bulay on Tuesday said there was something questionable about the deal with its debate contractor Impact Hub Manila, after the poll body’s presidential and vice presidential town hall debates were canceled due to financial issues.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has to approve the panelists and their questions for the poll body’s panel interview with the presidential and vice presidential candidates in cooperation with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP).

Presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos. Jr. is unlikely to consider taking part in a panel interview organized by the Commission on Elections in place of the final presidential debate, according to a report on "24 Oras" on Monday.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) hopes to complete within the week its probe into the failure of its partner to pay the hotel used as venue for its presidential and vice presidential debates, a poll official said on Sunday.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair Saidamen Pangarungan and other poll body officials have approved the release of some P15 million in public funds to cover the money owed by Impact Hub, the organizer of the Comelec debates, to Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.