Martinez: No need for peace covenant

CEBU, Philippines - Efforts to forge a peace covenant among candidates in Bogo City proved futile after Bogo City Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez, Jr. rejected the proposal.

“No need of this peace covenant kay pulos ra na pakitang-tao,” said Martinez in an interview with The Freeman yesterday. (That’s all pretense.)

Bogo City mayoral candidate Daphne Salimbangon is alarmed with the pronouncement of the mayor, as she herself wants a peace covenant to ensure a peaceful election in the city.

“Nakita na gyud kinsa ang dili gusto ug kahapsay diri sa Bogo. Uyon kaayo ko nga adunay peace covenant, pero dili man siya,” the neophyte candidate said. (Now people can see who does not want peace in Bogo. I want a peace covenant but he doesn’t.)

“Let it be an agreement between a gentleman and a lady nga peaceful ang election diri. I’ve been in politics for more than 20 years, peace covenants are all useless,” said Martinez.

Early this month, lawyers of both camps met with Bogo election officer Michael Angelo Sarno and initially agreed for the signing of a peace covenant, subject for approval of the final draft.

Salimbangon’s camp submitted their proposal to Martinez’s legal counsel for their counter-proposal. Salimbangon proposed that the use and deployment of the Barangay Police Action Team shall be restricted by the chief of police on election day and that uniformed policemen shall be given primary preference on matters dealing with crowd control, safety and orderliness.

The proposal further stated that both parties agreed to inform, request and endeavor the respective barangay captains, officials and tanods of the different barangays “to avoid, stay away and refrain from going to the polling centers, unless it is for the sole purpose of casting their votes.”

Salimbangon further proposed that both parties shall control their respective officers, staff and supporters and shall prevent them from creating a ruckus and commotion, in the interest of maintaining peace, harmony and order during election day.

“Ang maong proposal alang gyud sa kahapsay sa umaabot nga piniliay sa Bogo. Pero ug dili gusto si Junie og kalinaw, amoa na lang paninguhaon nga dili gubot ang election diri,”  Salimbangon said. (These proposals are for the peaceful holding of the elections but Junie rejected these. We will still do our best anyway.)

Instead of a peace covenant, Martinez hits the presence of some members of the Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy Party-list in the city.

“Ambot og nag unsa na sila dinhi sa Bogo. Wala man sad na sila nangampanya diri. Nagsige ra na sila ug tuyok tuyok diri sa Bogo,” the mayor said. (I don’t know what they are doing in Bogo, they are also not campaigning, they are just roaming around.)

When asked whether he is questioning the presence of ANAD members, he said, “I am not questioning them. I welcome them. I was told that they are for Salimbangons”.

According to their website, ANAD as a party-list has a mission to “save the country from the claws of Maoist communist terrorism which is one of the root causes of poverty.” –/JPM (FREEMAN)