ILOILO City – Candidates were urged to ensure the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in this city on May 14 will be peaceful and orderly.
Around 1,600 candidates have signed a “peace covenant” relative to the upcoming polls. It was an initiative of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO).
“Gina-engganyo ang tanan nga mga kandidato nga sila ang magpanguna sa paghiwat sang matinlu kag fair nga elections,” said ICPO spokeswoman Senior Inspector Shella Mae Sangrines.
The ICPO hopes the candidates and their supporters will work together to avert any activity that will rig the elections, Sangrines said.
Candidates in City Proper and Jaro, La Paz, Molo, and Arevalo districts signed the peace covenant Friday simultaneously.
Those in Mandurriao already signed their peace covenant on Thursday.
Around 500 candidates in Jaro signed the covenant at the Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral, data from Senior Inspector Tranquilino Querubin, district police chief, showed.
Senior Inspector Rey Sumagaysay, La Paz police station chief, estimated the number of candidates in the district who signed at 300.
ICPO data further showed there were 150 candidates in Mandurriao, 200 in Molo, another 200 in Arevalo, and 250 City Proper who signed.
A total of 5,175 aspiring barangay and SK officials in the city have filed certificates of candidacy, according to records from the Commission on Elections – Iloilo City.
Of the number, 396 were running for barangay captain; 3,103, barangay kagawad (village councilmen); 386, SK chairman; and 1,290, SK kagawad.
City Election Assistant III Jonathan Sayno said the local Comelec supports the signing of peace covenant.
He said they hope the candidates will not engage in vote-buying, harassment of voters, and other illegal activities to buoy their chances of getting elected or secure a victory./PN
