Misamis Oriental issues support to Comelec’s Unity Walk

MISAMIS Oriental Vice Governor Norris Babiera said he and his party are fully supporting the “Unity Walk” for safe polls of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) despite their absence, contrary to their political rival’s claim.

“Though we were not physically present but in spirit, we supported the Unity Walk,” Babiera said.

The Comelec, along with the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, led on Tuesday dawn the unity walk for safe polls.

The unity walk was joined by candidates from PaDayon Pilipino in Misamis Oriental led by Representative Yevgeny Emano (2nd district), Babiera’s staunch rival in the gubernatorial race.

Reports said the camp of PaDayon Pilipino allegedly said the candidates of Liberal Party snubbed the activity and did not support the cause.

But Babiera hit back at his critics, as he urged all the candidates to religiously and diligently observe the Comelec’s rules and to remove their “Epal” materials placed in different areas of the province.

“They signed the peace covenant and joined the unity walk and yet they are also violators of the Comelec rule and the Epal law. Tanggalon sa nila ang ilang mga Epal materials kay violation man kana,” he said.

Related to this, re-electionist Senator Francis Escudero said the elections in May are not about coalitions and campaign rallies but about platforms.

Escudero’s statement came in reaction to the decision of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) to drop him from its senatorial slate.

“While I consider UNA’s decision removing me from their senatorial slate as a big loss, I maintain that the elections are more about issues and platforms rather than parties and coalitions,” he said.

The senator emphasized that the elections are never about adoption or parties and coalitions but about issues and changes as what they have been focusing since day one.

Escudero maintained he had no ill will toward UNA and its leaders and while he will remain an independent candidate, he will be joining most of the campaign hops of Team PNoy after the UNA decision.

“Sanay naman po kami bilang independent candidate na kung ano lang ang tulong na ibibigay na bukal sa kalooban ng sinumang nais tumulong, s’ya ring tatanggapin namin. Wala kami sa lugar na magbigay ng anumang kondisyon o humiling ng sosobra pa sa kaya at gusto nilang ibigay,” he said.

Escudero filed his certificate of candidacy as an independent candidate for senator last year and has been without any political party since he left the Nationalist People’s Coalition in 2009. (ALR)