CANDIDATES in five coastal municipalities of Lanao del Sur signed on Thursday a peace covenant to ensure peaceful and orderly conduct of elections on May 13.
The signing of the peace covenant was initiated by the Army’s 6th Infantry Battalion and was held Thursday, May 3, at the battalion headquarters in Matling village, Malabang, Lanao del Sur.
Those who signed the peace covenant were the candidates for mayor and vice mayor in the coastal towns of Kapatagan, Balabagan, Malabang, Picong and Marogong.
The other signatories were Colonel Wilbur Mamawag, Army’s 603rd Infantry Brigade commander; Police Colonel Madsagani Mukaram, Lanao del Sur Provincial Police director; Ali Mangotara, Department of the Interior and Local Government assistant provincial director; election officers; chiefs of police; religious sector leaders; traditional leaders; and, Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front commanders.
Mamawag assured the candidates that they will serve as partners in ensuring a credible, honest, orderly and peaceful election.
“We will also ensure that there will be no failure of elections and all voters can exercise freely their right to suffrage,” Mamawag said.
Lawyer Allan Kadon, provincial election supervisor, encouraged all aspirants to maintain an honest election and not to engage in any undesirable or violent action.
“This 2019 midterm elections will not be peaceful without the help of all the people in the community especially all the aspirants for this coming election. Let us always remember that peace cannot be attained by force or imposing violence, it always requires understanding and respect for all our differences and beliefs,” Kadon added.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Arnel Dela Vega, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, has assured to remain steadfast in serving and protecting the people and in ensuring a peaceful and orderly 2019 mid-term polls.
“We are very much grateful for the support of the local aspirants and the people of Western and Central Mindanao to the preparations we are undertaking for the upcoming election,” Dela Vega said.