16 Cebu City Barangays “We’ll have a peaceful election”

CEBU, Philippines - Candidates for the upcoming barangay elections from at least 16 barangays in Cebu City vow to maintain a peaceful and orderly election this October 28 by signing a peace covenant. 

Yesterday, candidates from six South District barangays initially signed the unity pact. They were from Barangays Mambaling, Duljo Fatima, San Nicolas, Ermita, Pahina Central, Sapangdako, Kalunasan, and Guadalupe, the city’s largest barangay.

At 9 am today, candidates from eight barangays in the North District – Talamban, Pit-os, San Jose, Agsungot, Bacayan, Binaliw, Pulangbato, and Budlaan – are set to sign the same unity pact.

Senior Supt. Noli Romana, director of the Cebu City Police Office, said they aim to have all the running candidates in all 80 barangays of Cebu City sign the peace covenant before the elections on Monday.

By signing the pact, the candidates commit to help the police maintain a peaceful election and prevent any political violence in their respective barangays.

“Nagpapasalamat ako na bagama’t hindi kayo personal na magkakilala, nag-cooperate kayo sa pulis. Nabunutan ako ng tinik na at least 6 out of 80 barangays, sure ako na safe ang barangay elections,” said Romana, who spearheaded the covenant signing in Barangay Guadalupe.

He said that aside from getting an order from the national headquarters, CCPO initiated the forging of the unity pact among candidates after proving this “very effective” during the May 10 elections.

Romana tasked the chiefs of all 11 police stations under CCPO to gather the barangay officials in their respective jurisdictions for the covenant signing.

Romana said they could have started the activity last week if not for the earthquake.

“Sana wala nang aftershocks sa elections. Baka may mag-text pa sa kalaban ng wrong info about the earthquake para hindi sila makaboto. Huwag naman sana please,” the CCPO director appealed to the voting public.

Romana said they will not be imposing any sanction against barangay officials who violate the peace covenant.

“Remember that the covenant signing was done in public. Nasa kanila na iyon, nag-promise sila,” he said.

Yesterday, representatives from the Commission on Election and the Parish of Guadalupe priest witnessed the covenant signing.

Among those who signed the covenant are the four running for barangay captain in Guadalupe namely; incumbent barangay captain Michael Gacasan, Eugenio “Jingjing” Faelnar, Mario Caballes, and Bob Gabutan.

Faelnar, former barangay captain of Guadalupe, said he strongly supports the peace covenant signing.

“Since before na barangay captain ko, wala g’yud ko nag-support og kagubot. Tudloan sad nato ang kabatan-unan na mao ni ang sakto na magsinabtanay kita inay magkagubot,” he said.

Candidates for barangay captain of Ermita, where a commotion among supporters erupted during the weekend, also agreed on signing the peace pact, said Carbon Police chief Noel Lomente.

“Kabalo sila na ang eleksyon isa ra ka-adlaw ug dugay silang managsilingan, so dapat sila mu-kontrol sa ilang supporters para malikayan ang mga argumento,” said Lomente.

Last Saturday night, supporters of Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta and his opponent Amor Peliña allegedly figured in a verbal tussle and a commotion and even breaking a window of a responding patrol car of the Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) teams.

“Nagkinantyaway, although na-pacify ra. Kainit lang gud sa mga supporters, nagpasikat sa ilang leaders,” Lomente said. He said police personnel will be deployed during the political gatherings of both parties.

Being a hotly-contested area, Romana said they enlisted Ermita as an area of concern in Cebu City.

Barangay Kalubihan, meanwhile, did not join in the covenant signing since the running candidate has no opponent. — (FREEMAN)