PROVINCIAL candidates for the May 13 elections signed the covenant for peaceful and honest elections at the Provincial Capitol Park and Lagoon in Bacolod City Sunday, January 13 which was also the start of the election period.
The Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police as well as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Sunday enjoined the Negrenses to also do their share in ensuring peaceful orderly elections.
Gubernatorial candidate Rolando Parpa, board member candidates Ernesto Agustin Bascon, Ely Joy Barredo and Ernesto Adrian Aguilar signed the peace covenant, which was witnessed by Provincial Election supervisor Salud Milagros Villanueva, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander Colonel Benedict Arevalo, and Provincial Police director Senior Superintendent Romeo Baleros, and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Negros Occidental head Carmelo Orbista.
Similar activities were also held in the different towns and cities of Negros Occidental, which was also led by their respective police chiefs and election officers.
The candidates pledged not to employ any form of violence, force or threat that may impair, impede, or unduly influence the free exercise of people’s right of suffrage.
“I will not offer or give bribes or gifts to corrupt the integrity of our democratic process,” said the integrity pledge, which was signed by candidates.
The candidates also vowed to promote gender sensitivity in the campaign and not to tolerate any form of violence against “women in politics.”
The simultaneous signing of peace covenant was preceded by a unity walk among the candidates, Comelec, and DILG officials as well as police and military personnel assigned in Negros Occidental.
In Bacolod City, members of Grupo Progreso (GP) led by Bacolod City Representative Greg Gasataya and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran joined the unity walk and the symbolic peace covenant signing of the integrity pledge at the public plaza after the holy mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral.
Other GP members who were present during the signing were Israel Salanga, Simple Distrito, and incumbent Councilors Elmer Sy, Ana Marie Palermo, and Bart Orola.
Independent candidates who were also present at the said activity and running for councilor were former councilors Carl Lopez and Celia For, and Wilfredo David.
Comelec-Bacolod election registrar Mavil Majarucon-Sia said the activity aims to attain a peaceful, honest, and credible election.
Some candidates were not present because they have already signed the pledge during the filing of the certificates of candidacy.
“We hope and pray that this May 13 election in Bacolod will be peaceful just like in the previous years,” Majarucon-Sia said.
She also reminded the national and local candidates to remove their campaign materials of greetings since the holiday season is over.
The campaign period for the national candidates starts on February 12.
She is hoping that these campaign materials are removed before the campaign period starts.
She also reminded them to never post campaign materials in electrical posts and trees as it can cause hazard and it is a violation of environmental law and Comelec rules.
For his part, Gasataya said their presence in the activity signified their commitment to the intention of having a peaceful and honest election.
Gasataya said the mayor was not present on Sunday as he was in Kalibo, Aklan for an annual “panata.”
The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) led by Superintendent Leonardo Borromeo, deputy city director for operations, and Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, deputy commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) of the Philippine Army also joined the activity.
For his part, Arevalo reminded the candidates to never give in to the extortion schemes of the New People’s Army (NPA) because it is illegal.
It is a crime to support a terrorist organization, he stressed.
Arevalo said they have reports that some current local executives wittingly or unwittingly support the NPA, especially since the election is approaching.
It is unlawful, he added.
When asked about rebel-infested areas and possible election hotspots, Arevalo said they keep on validating reports before making an official declaration, also through the assessment of the police.
Arevalo assured that despite their intensified security measures for the upcoming election, they will continue to be more aggressive in running after the rebels.
“We will be consistent in our internal security operations for a peaceful and orderly election,” he said.
The army has been on heightened alert since 2018.
Meanwhile, policemen in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental have no apprehension against violators of the Comelec gun ban.
The PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and Comelec started the simultaneous Comelec checkpoint operations nationwide on Sunday, January 13, as the election period begins. (With reports from Glazyl Y. Masculino)