Crowd favorites

From the applause, the crowd favorites were Aquino, Gordon, Teodoro, Villar and Madrigal.

The candidates were allowed to have 20 supporters in the theater to applaud them.

The candidates fielded questions from nine panelists: Inquirer columnists Raul Pangalangan, Fr. Joaquin Bernas SJ and senior reporter Fe Zamora on law and politics; columnists Rina Jimenez-David and Michael Tan and Inquirer youth section editor Pam Pastor on social issues; and columnist Cielito Habito, Inquirer opinion editor Jorge Aruta and Inquirer business editor Raul Marcelo on economic issues.

In addition, there were questions from the floor by Katribu party-list's Beverly Longid, dean Roland Tolentino of the UP College of Mass Communications, Peter Perfecto of Philippine Business for Education, UP student Franz de la Fuente, Gil Salazar of Philippine Business for Social Progress, Sylvia Claudio of Watch Out When Women Vote, Makati Business Club's Alberto Lim, Reuters reporter Manny Mogato and Wallace.

Pangalangan opened the debate by asking Aquino about his statement that he would not recognize a Chief Justice appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The other questions included how to address the restiveness in the military, corruption in the Bureau of Customs, political dynasty, private armies, arming the media, the separation of Church and state, the Asean charter, mining, how to solve the peace and poverty problem in Mindanao, the division of congressional districts, the environment, the elderly, education, urban housing, divorce and sex education, the Internal Revenue Allotment of local governments, the pork barrel, the Arroyo administration's stimulus package, debt payments, even the Sangguniang Kabataan and of course poverty.

Shaping public discourse

Inquirer president Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, in her welcome remarks, said the Inquirer debate was the paper's contribution to the "country's most important election in a generation" and marked the first in a series of activities for the Inquirer's 25th anniversary this year.

She said that despite widespread pessimism, the candidates have at least made themselves available for such debates where the public can learn about their platforms. Noting that the official campaign period begins on Tuesday, she said that "we in the Inquirer hope that this event will help shape public discourse today and the next 90 days and beyond."

Romualdez thanked the Inquirer's co-presentor of the debate - Globe Telecoms represented by Jaime and Fernando Zobel de Ayala - and the UP College of Mass Communications and 14 partner organizations.

Inquirer chair Marixi Prieto, editor in chief Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc, Inquirer founder Eugenia Apostol and publisher Isagani Yambot led the Inquirer family in the event, which was also graced by some diplomats and members of political parties and supporters of candidates.

Madrigal's husband Eric Valade, Villar's three children and Teodoro's wife Rep. Nikki Prieto-Teodoro were among those who came to watch.

Tickets ran out for the debate as around 2,500 people filled the UP Theater.