SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) Region 6 regional director Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao urged the various candidates running for the May 2019 midterm elections here to be true to their pledge for free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections.
“The peace covenant that you signed today means that you are committed to preserving every voter’s right to choose, and you respect your fellow candidates,” said Bulalacao in a speech delivered by Antique Police provincial director Senior Superintendent Leo Irwin Agpangan during the Unity Walk, Interfaith Prayer Rally and Peace Covenant Signing program held at the Antique Provincial Police Headquarters in San Jose, Jan. 13.
Bulalacao said that the PNP, together with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), and other stakeholders pursued the covenant signing as part of their unwavering hope that the election will be peaceful.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Antique provincial director Cherryl Tacda, in a message read by LGOO II Jun Christian Guardialao, reminded the candidates that serving the public does not necessarily entail having a title or position.
“The election is not only meant for the public to exercise their right to vote but to wisely choose their candidates who possess certain qualities to effect meaningful change in their community,” Tacda said.
For the Comelec’s part, Acting provincial election supervisor Atty. Wil Arceño said in a message read by Election Assistant Feberose C. Fedelicio of the Office of the Election Officer in San Jose, that the presence of the candidates who affixed their signatures in the Peace Covenant guarantees the first step towards attaining the goal for free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections.
Arceño also noted that for the past four elections beginning 2013 national and local elections and to the 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections the province of Antique and its people have enjoyed a violent-free poll.
The COMELEC lauded the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for ensuring that the Antiqueños can freely exercise their right to suffrage. (PIA/PN)
