1,654 candidates signed peace covenant in Calbayog City

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
October 24, 2013

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – The significant number of candidates who signed the peace covenant in Calbayog City recently for the October 28 barangay elections is an indication that local leaders in the city, once considered as a political hotbed, have matured and opted to shy away from committing violence in advancing their political interests, said the region’s top police official.

“The positive support we got from the candidates and their supporters only showed the political maturity of the people and is of great help in ensuring the peaceful conduct of the village polls,” said PCSupt Elmer Ragadio Soria, PRO8 Regional Director.

The police-initiated covenant signing held Saturday morning at the Calbayog City Sports Center have gathered the signatures of some 245 candidates for punong barangay and 1,609 aspirants for barangay kagawad.

The activity also garnered support from the Diocese of Calbayog, Department of Interior and Local Government, Commission on Elections, Armed Forces of the Philippines, civil society groups and local media.

Rev. Msgr. Francisco Cinco III of Our Lady of Nativity Parish officiated the Holy Mass followed by the blessing of peace covenant, signing of the manifesto by candidates and witnesses and release of white balloons and doves.

The city, with 132 of its 157 barangays situated in the rural area, is considered as an election area of immediate concern in the previous barangay elections with its history of election-related incidents and monitored presence of private armed groups and New People’s Army in the area.

Calbayog and the entire Samar province was placed in the “priority area” list in the recent midterm elections but focused-police operations initiated by the Special Operations Task Group-Samar have effectively minimized the occurrence of violent incidents during the May elections.

PRO8 earlier initiated a peace covenant signing in the city last January 12 in relation to May national and local polls.