Councilor pushes for peace covenant

CEBU, Philippines —  To have a peaceful elections next month, Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak will ask all churches in the city to make a peace covenant among all barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan candidates in their respective parishes.

Tumulak, deputy mayor for police matters, said this is to ensure the safety of the candidates and their supporters.

Also, he will also coordinate with the election officers of the city and the police officials about the possible poll hotspots and for the peace covenant.

“Dunay panagtigom para i-discuss ang mga election-related problems like aning dunay mga armed men sa mga barangay,” he told reporters.

Yesterday, Barangay Calamba Councilman Eldy Ygonia, who is now on his last term and has no plans to run for public office, visited Tumulak requesting for help in his request to the Commission on Elections to look into the possibility of putting Barangay Calamba as one of the election watchlist.

Ygonia said an unidentified armed person went to his house in the evening of April 17 and looked for him.

The same incident happened to Calamba Councilman Atty. Noel Bacalla on the same day.

“Hangyo sa Comelec nga mabantayan ang Barangay Calamba kay dili lang kay ako ra ang nahitaboan ani, akong kauban nga konsehal ma threat napod. Tingali election related siya ba kay wala man miy kontra,” Ygonia told reporters.

He said he already reported the incident to the police.

Ygonia said he could not pinpoint the armed person who has a face covering and a helmet.

Tumulak said incidents like these should be taken seriously especially during election period.

With this, he asked all police stations in the city to conduct random checkpoints and foot patrols to ensure the safety of the residents and the candidates of upcoming elections.

In the past elections, Tumulak said there were no barangays that were declared poll hotspots.

Meanwhile, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director, Police Senior Superintendent Edgar Alan Okubo said that he did not force his entire chief of police in the Cebu province to conduct peace covenants with their barangay official candidates.

“Optional lang. The COP’s are given the discretion. Kung may mga away sa area nila (in between sa mga candidates) ay sila ang ni-require na magpa peace covenants, pero kung nagbibigayan naman ay optional lang,” said Okubo.

However, Okubo reiterated that he directed his COP’s to continually check the situation in the barangays to avoid any untoward incidents.

“Hihingin pa din natin ang cooperation nila na mag-join sa peace covenant para sa successful and peaceful barangay election,” Okubo said. -  Ermida Q. Moradas(FREEMAN)