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Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Basilan political kingpins ink peace covenant
By Ulysses E. Israel
ISABELA, Basilan -- Candidates here signed recently a peace covenant that would bind them to work for fair, honest, orderly and peaceful elections come May 14.
Candidates for local positions, representatives of government agencies, non-government organizations (NGOs) and stakeholders trooped to Farmland Resort in Isabela City to witness the ceremonial signing of the peace covenant and to attend the "Candidates Educational Forum" spearheaded by the provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Philippine National Police.
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Basilan Police Provincial Office played host to the affair and to the 1st Provincial Coordinating Conference, which was held after the educational forum and the signing of the covenant.
Among those present during the ceremonial signing of the peace covenant were the leaders of the two major political camps in the province: congressional aspirant and Liberal Party standard bearer (Atienza wing) Ustadz Wahab Akbar and gubernatorial aspirant and Lakas-CMD standard bearer Gerry Salapuddin.
Both Akbar and Salapuddin are touted as the political kingpins in the province of Basilan, and both are alleged to have amassed a significant number of firearms. They are also said to be maintaining armed supporters, according to police intelligence reports.
Chief Superintendent Joel R. Goltiao, police regional director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm), said during the forum that the signing of the peace covenant enshrined the commitment of all parties to holding fair, clean, peaceful and credible elections in the province.
About 115 candidates are vying for various posts -- governor, Congress, mayors, provincial board, and municipal councils -- in the May 14 elections.
There are about 181,776 registered voters in the province with 1,055 poll precincts and 255 barangays, according to the provincial office of the Comelec.
According to a police intelligence official who requested anonymity, there were two incidents of harassment against the supporters of gubernatorial aspirant Gerry Salapuddin.
There was, however, no reported armed encounter and no one was hurt in the harassment attempts, the source said. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cebu. (May 1, 2007 issue)
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