Lawmakers call for peaceful, credible elections

MANILA, Philippines - Senators Loren Legarda, Franklin Drilon and Francis Escudero urged all sectors to work together to ensure peaceful and credible elections tomorrow and the safety of public school teachers on poll duty.

Legarda, who is seeking re-election under administration coalition Team PNoy, said candidates and their supporters should work with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and security personnel to ensure that everything runs smoothly, from the start of voting to the announcement of the results.

“It is not only the Commission on Elections employees and uniformed personnel who have the duty to ensure a clean, orderly and peaceful election but everybody, from candidates to their supporters to ordinary folk,” Legarda said.

“All of us have the obligation to protect the sanctity of the ballot and to make sure that the voting and counting are devoid of controversies or questions,” she added.

Drilon also appealed to all candidates and their supporters to work together to maintain peace during the elections and just let the will of the people be heard.

“We urge all candidates and their supporters to respect the will of the electorate. Intense political rivalry could result in the outbreak of violence in election hotspots, so the presence of the military and the police will be crucial in maintaining peace and order,” Drilon said in a statement.

Drilon, who serves as campaign manager of Team PNoy, urged voters to be prepared before going to the polling precincts so that all of their votes will be counted.

“The people must know how to vote correctly in order for their votes to be counted. During the last elections, it was disappointing to know that a substantial number of votes were put to waste because of glitches that could have been prevented,” he said.