MANILA (UPDATE) - Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has turned the tables on opposition candidates who asked her to organize a debate of senatorial candidates in the 2019 elections.

Duterte-Carpio, chair of the administration-backed political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago, compared opposition Otso Diretso candidates seeking a debate to black holes.

"Kung ang mga HNP-supported senators ay ang sun, ang HNP ay ang moon, sila po ay parang black hole. Very depressing, dark and very disorganized," she said.

(If HNP-supported senators were the sun and the HNP were the moon, they (opposition candidates) are like a black hole. Very depressing, dark and very disorganized.)

"Gusto ko silang tulungan pero nagdecide ako na I will not share my light anymore sa kanila. Di ko na alam saan nanggagaling 'yang fixation na 'yan."

(I want to help them but I've decided that I will not share my light with them anymore. I don't know where their fixation is coming from.)

The Davao mayor also told the opposition candidates not to boss her around.

"Dahil sa ganiyan, challenge siya tapos sinabihan na - sige na, willing naman 'yung mga candidates makipag-debate. Tapos bara-bara, very unprofessional and then ngayon uutusan ako."

(Because of that, they give a challenge and say let's go, other candidates are willing to go on a debate. Then it's disorganized, very unprofessional and now they order me around.)

"I am the mayor of Davao City. I am the chairman of HNP. Tapos gagawin akong secretary ng mga meron obsessive disorder na grupo, may fixation sa debate. Bakit nila ako uutusan?" Duterte continued.

(I am the mayor of Davao City. I am the chairman of HNP. Then they will make me their secretary, those who have an obsessive disorder, a fixation for a debate. Why will they order me around?)

"Hindi naman kami 'yung nag challenge. Sila 'yung nag challenge. You make it professional. 'Wag nila akong utusan kung paano maging professional. They present themselves to be senators, they act like senators.”

(We're not the ones who made the challenge. It was them. You make it professional. They should not order me how to be professional. They present themselves to be senators, they act like senators.)

Earlier this week, Otso Diretso's candidates informally challenged other senatorial candidates to a debate at the historic Plaza Miranda in Manila, where none of HNP's 13 bets showed up.

• Hugpong bets no show at Plaza Miranda debate challenge

On Tuesday, Duterte-Carpio slammed the manner by which Otso Diretso challenged her bets to a debate, saying there was no formal invitation nor guidelines. Otso Diretso campaign manager Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said he was willing to conform to such guidelines.

Duterte-Carpio addressed the matter in an interview with reporters after she addressed an HNP campaign rally in Pateros.

She welcomed news that Otso Diretso candidates were asking the Commission on Elections to set up the debate.

"That's a good step. Kung ganyan na iniisip nila, 'wag nila ako utusan. Gawin nila kasi sila nag challenge," she said.

(If that's what they're thinking about, just don't order me around. They should do it because they're the ones who posed the challenge.)

Senate bet responds

But Duterte-Carpio's words did not sit well with Samira Gutoc, a senatorial aspirant under the Otso Diretso ticket.

In a statement Thursday, Gutoc said the intention of their debate challenge was "geared towards voters' education and nothing else."

"Lahat po tayo, maganda ang nais para sa ating bayan, para sa mamamayan (All of us, we want what's good for our country, for our people)... [You] owe it to the Filipino people, not to us, to be up for public scrutiny. Your response to these valid challenges speaks more of your candidates’ capability and credibility," Gutoc said.

She said she was keeping her hopes high that the Comelec would grant their request to compel Hugpong bets to participate in a debate with them.

"We just hope the Comelec grants this request so we can engage your candidates in a professional debate," she said.

"So we are ready when you are. And I hope you do convince your endorsed candidates to take on this challenge. Gutoc added.