Cebu City barangays hold peace covenant signing

CEBU, Philippines — At least 70 candidates from 11 mountain barangays in Cebu City took an oath and signed a peace covenant to adhere to policies and maintain order for the May elections.

Despite no recommendation for election hotspots in Cebu City, authorities in coordination with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), initiated the peace agreement as a proactive measure to prevent the spate of election-related violence in the mountain barangays.

During the program, the incumbent barangay captain of Adlaon, Nieves Narra, said that there will be no mudslinging against each candidate.

“Ang ako lang ihangyo, ang dili lang ta magdinautay, kay sukad pa kaniadto, ang amo kaatbang wala gyud dinautay,” Narra said.

Narra assumed as the barangay captain back in June 2016, when her son, former Adlaon barangay captain Elvis, 39, died due to health complications.

Narra is seeking re-election this May 14.

On the other hand, running as her opponent, Nixon Borris, was pleased with the peace covenant and he also hopes that elections in Adlaon would be held peacefully.

“Mas nindot kaayo nga naka-sign mi. Manghinaot ko na malinawon ang eleksiyon namo diri sa Adlaon,” he said.

Cebu City Director Joel Doria said that mountain barangays are focused areas but not recommended as hotspots.

“We have tasked the stations and the City Mobile Force Company (CMFC) to assist for the whole duration of the election period to make sure safe ang area,” Doria said.

Senior Inspector Arieza Otida, deputy chief of Police Community Relations Office Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said that the program was held as part of the simultaneous peace covenant signing of 80 Cebu City barangays.

“We decided to have it here in Barangay Adlaon kay daghan na man gud sila magtapok aron mausa na lang pud,” Otida said.

Meanwhile, over 100 candidates for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections and barangays under Police Station 6 signed a peace covenant yesterday as a commitment to an honest and orderly election.

Calamba Barangay Captain Maria Yvonne Feliciano said that she is hoping the peace covenant will ease the tension between candidates since she has been receiving death threats.

“Kaning peace covenant mas maayo ni siya kay at least ma-automatic na na naay police visibility. Mao sad na ang akong ganahan jud na naa nay sige'g tuyok sa barangay pero karon dili nalang gyud ko mukompyansa,” she said.

Barangays under Police Station 6 are Calamba, Pasil, Pahina San Nicolas, Suba, Sawang Calero and San Nicolas Proper.

Barangay Ermita also conducted a peace covenant signing at the Barangay Ermita gym spearheaded by their village chief, Mark Rizaldy Miral.

Miral said that the campaign in Ermita during the late Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta’s term was full of tension.

“Magpabilin tang mga kalmado ipatigbabaw nato ang pasensya ug dili ta magsige’g away. Ang atoa lang kung unsay dagan sa eleksiyon, wala lang tay linabayay o unsa man gani,” he said.

 Atty. Gallardo Escobar, the election officer of the Cebu City North District, said he is supporting the peace covenant since he believes that it has a good purpose.

“Maayo man ang katuyuan sa peace covenant. At least ang mga kandidato nihimo og declaration nga dili sila mo-resort to violence, intimidation, fraud and other illegal means just to win,” he said.

 City Councilor David Tumulak, who is acting vice mayor, supported the peace covenant initiated by the police stations in the city.

Tumulak, deputy mayor for police matters, hopes that churches in the barangay will initiate a peace talk or an assembly among all candidates in the respective barangays, police officers, and other agencies and organizations.

“I am humbly requesting from you, being the spiritual authority of our community, to be the catalyst of change and start a drive so that a peaceful and honest election will happen in our community,” reads a portion of Tumulak’s letter to Archbishop Jose Palma.

As of yesterday, Tumulak said he has not gotten any response from Palma.

As the campaign period starts today, the Ecowaste Coalition, a zero waste advocacy group, appealed barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan poll candidates to be respectful of their constituents' right to a healthy environment. 

"Their keen desire to get the voters' nod should not worsen the waste and pollution woes of the communities, especially in heavily populated barangays, that they are hoping to serve," said Daniel Alejandre, Zero Waste Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition in a statement.

Alejandre said that while  it is tempting to use plenty of leaflets, posters, banners and other campaign paraphernalia to promote their visibility, candidates should adhere to the P5 expense limit per registered voter in their barangay and avoid going beyond what is allowed and what is necessary to get themselves known to the electorate. — Mae Clydyl L. Avila,  Jean Marvette A. Demecillo, Iris Hazel Mascardo NORSU intern, Ivory Pauline Escarro CNU COMM Intern/MBG (FREEMAN)