BASULTA bets sign covenant for peaceful elections

BASILAN — Commission on Elections Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan on Saturday urged candidates to exercise what they pledged in their Ramadan fasting to ensure peaceful, honest and orderly elections in May 9.

Pangarungan issued his caall to from the Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi area who went to the Basilan State College for a covenant signing for peaceful polls.

"I remind our candidates to be cautious of their actions (during the elections) or their fasting during the Ramadan is wasted," Pangarungan said as he led the signing of the covenant with military and police officials.

The month-long observance of Ramadan ends May 2, a few days before election day.

Lawyer Rey Sumalipao, Comelec regional director for Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the covenant signing is important to remind local bets to follow election rules and laws.

"They should avoid violence, otherwise with this commitment taken from them (candidates) they (police and military) who will prosecute (the violators) through our subordinates," Sumalipao said on the sidelines.

Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, lauded the canddiates for committing to peaceful and orderly elections.

"The cycle of violence is finally broken and the free exercise to right of suffrage is now our protected commitment," Rosario told them.

Despite the covenant signing, Comelec officials are concerned about elections in Basilan due to the intense rivalry among political clans and candidates.

Rep. Mujiv Hataman (Basilan) downplayed the apprehensions, saying only a few areas are hotly contested.

“For me, at the provincial level we are confident it is generally peaceful,” Hataman said.