CHIEF Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on Saturday said President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to back out of his debate challenge against retired Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio does not equate with cowardice.

“I am telling you, that’s not cowardice. First, there is nothing to debate about. It’s already clear — the position is very clear,” Panelo said in Filipino during his commentary show “Counterpoint.”

He issued the statement after the hashtag #DuterteDuwag (Duterte coward) trended on Twitter.

Duterte backed down on his own challenge to debate Carpio “upon the advice of his Cabinet” and assigned Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. to represent him instead.

Carpio turned down the debate with Roque, calling the Palace spokesman’s suggested topics as “pointless.”

Panelo said the President is not a coward but a brave leader.

He added there is no need for a formal debate as the two are already debating.

“Effectively, you are already debating on the West Philippine Sea,” the Palace official said, adding Carpio would gain “media mileage” if the debate pushes through.

Panelo reiterated that it would be unfair for Duterte to debate with a retired justice who is now just an “ordinary lawyer.”

“If you were to ask me, the President should not debate with a [retired] justice. If there should be a debate, you should do it with a person with the same rank, same intelligence [as you].”

Panelo said he is willing to debate with Carpio.

“If you want, I can debate with you,” he said.