Former agrarian reform secretary and senatorial aspirant John Castriciones on Monday accepted the challenge of another aspiring senator, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, to engage in a public debate with other fellow senatorial candidates in the May 2022 elections.

Castriciones said the debate would provide the senatorial candidates with a stage to pitch their platforms and expose their issue positions.

“Sir Chel Diokno, sang-ayon ako na ang pagdedebate ay maganda dahil ang makikinabang nito ay ang mga botante. Dapat ang pinag-uusapan ay ang mga isyu at plataporma. Tinatanggap ko ang hamon mo sa debate (Sir Chel Diokno, I agree that debates are good because these would be beneficial for voters. We should discuss crucial issues and platforms. I accept your challenge to debate),” Castriciones said in a Facebook post.

Castriciones was reacting to Diokno’s statement that he is ready to face President Rodrigo Duterte in a public debate among candidates for the Senate.

“I would love to have a debate with the President or with anyone else who is running for the Senate. After all, that’s what we’re gonna be doing if ever we are elected,” Diokno said in a television interview last Thursday.

Diokno said the purpose of the debate would be to help voters find out who are qualified for the seats in the Senate.

Feb. 8, 2022 is the start of the campaign period for national positions such as president, vice-president, senator, and party-list (PL) representatives. It will run until May 7, 2022. (PNA)