TACLOBAN CITY – A Commission on Election (Comelec) official of this highly urbanized city urged aspirants for barangay positions on Wednesday (May 2) to ensure peaceful, clean and honest elections.
City Election Officer Ma. Goretti Cañas issued the call during the peace covenant signing held at the Tacloban City Convention Center which gathered the city’s 304 aspirants for barangay chairmen, 2,195 hopefuls for “kagawads” and 1,137 contenders for positions in the Sanggunian Kabataan.
The half-day event also highlighted a talk on the use of proper election propaganda and the requirements that the candidates should comply with, such as the selection of poll watchers, among others.
Cañas encouraged the candidates the prompt and accurate reporting and disclosure of campaign-related expenses and urged them to honor the covenant by not offering bribes or gifts that will compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
Executive Assistant to Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez Pinky Brosas delivered the message of the chief executive during the event.
Mayor Romualdez enjoined election hopefuls to abide by the tenets of the Constitution, election laws, rules, and regulations by respecting the sanctity of the electoral exercise.
Meanwhile, Department of Interior and Local Government City Director Atty. Darwin Bibar said that the activity is one way of ensuring a secure and peaceful election this May 14.
According to him they fully support the activity of the Comelec and the Philippine National Police as this is in lined with the DILG’s election advocacy campaign dubbed “Matino, Mahusay, at Maasahang” Barangay and SK Officials that encourages the public to vote for good leaders.
Meantime, the Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) said no election-related violence or incidents have been reported so far to their office.
According to TCPO Director Police Senior Superintendent Rolando Bade, elections in Tacloban have been generally peaceful and orderly, and there is no cause for concern.
However, Bade assured the public that the joint Comelec and PNP checkpoints with the Philippine Army 78th Infantry Battalion will be continuously manned throughout the election period.
The police director also disclosed that a canine team from the city government will be deployed in public places and that the security plan for the upcoming Election Day has already been prepared.
The TCPO said that 197 police personnel will be deployed on May 14 to the 37 polling centers throughout the city which are composed of 419 clustered precincts.
The election campaign period will start this Friday, May 4 and will end on May 12, a day before the Barangay and SK elections. – H.J. Roca/CIO. (Photos by D. Abarquez/CIO)