Mayors ask constituents to show respect choice of candidates; plead not to commit low blow acts
TACLOBAN CITY – Don’t take politics too seriously.
This was the separate advice of Maasin City Mayor Naccional Mercado and Abuyog Mayor Lemuel Gin Traya as they noted that supporters of some candidates, especially those seeking the presidency, are trying to destroy against each other.
Mayor Mercado in particular was reacting to a supporter of a particular presidential candidate holding a Manila paper with the words ‘Leni for Tanod’ written on it.
The mayor said that the act of the said man was uncalled for.
“Please let us show respect to each other’s choices regardless of whom we support to lead our country,” Mercado said.
“With this, I would like to send a strong warning to everyone not to disrespect any candidate or visitors that will visit Maasin City,” he added.
Robredo, who is running for President, held a political rally in Maasin last week.
For his part, Mayor Traya also asked his constituents to respect others’ choices.
A tarpaulin of Robredo and her running mate Sen. Francis Pangilinan was destroyed by an unknown individual.
“I strongly condemn this shenanigan. Let us all be fair,” Mayor Traya said in his post on his official Facebook account.
Traya said that they had received several reports and complaints of malicious defacing of candidates’ campaign materials in their town.
“Time and again, we need to remember that this act is prohibited by law. No one is excused from vandalism,” Traya said.
“Let us all be guided by a righteous and clean campaign. Respect each other’s right to freedom of expression,” he added.
Both Mercado and Traya are known to support the presidential bid of former senator, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos and his running-mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Papal nuncio graces the 501st First Mass celebration
Asked faithful to ‘rush back’ to Jesus as Church masses now allowed 2 years after COVID-19 pandemic restriction
TACLOBAN CITY- The representative of Pope Francis to the Philippines, Archbishop Charles John Brown, led in the celebration of the 501st year anniversary of the First Sunday Mass on Limasawa Island, Southern Leyte Thursday (March 31).
In his homily, the papal nuncio said that he was glad to visit Limasawa for this year’s celebration after failing to officiate the event last year, coinciding with the Quincentennial celebration of the First Mass in the Philippines.
Archbishop Brown was not able to visit Limasawa last year because of the travel restrictions imposed due to the pandemic caused by coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“It’s a great joy and immense privilege for me as a representative of Pope Francis to be with all of you here on the island of Limasawa to commemorate the 501st celebration of the First Mass on the Filipino soil, March 31st, 5121,” he said during the celebration held at the Magallanes Shrine.
Among those present were priests within the Diocese of Maasin headed by Bishop Precioso Cantillas; local officials led by Governor Damian Mercado and municipal mayor Melchor Petracorta and Public Works Sec.Roger Mercado, former congressman of the province.
Archbishop Brown noted that with the cases of COVID-19 in the country now appear to be declining, regular masses and not just live stream masses could now be conducted.
The papal nuncio said that the pandemic has resulted in what he described as ‘Eucharistic fasting” among the faithful as they could not attend Church masses except those conducted virtually due to restrictions.
“But seating in your homes watching mass on your cellphone or on your laptop is not the same(as attending mass in the church) because you are not able to receive the Bread of Life,” the papal nuncio said.
“So after two years of this kind of Eucharistic fasting…rush back to masses; rush back to the source of supernatural light; rush back to our Savior Jesus Christ who loves us,” he said.
The papal nuncio said that the faithful need to receive the Eucharist ‘to stay alive supernaturally.’
“The Eucharist is a form of life that Jesus gives us that will help us go from natural death to eternal life. The power of the Eucharist will make our bodies live again. This is the message of Christianity,” he said.
Archbishop Brown also said that he was elated that during his visit, it coincided with the ordination of 12 new priests to the Diocese of Maasin.
The visit of Archbishop Brown to Limasawa came after the historic island was pummeled by Typhoon Odette December of last year.
Limasawa was one of the hard-hit areas in the province due to the typhoon with practically all of its more than 6,100 residents were affected and rendered homeless.
At present, of its six barangays, two of them, San Agustin and San Bernardo, remain without power connections.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
Samar pols sign peace pact for safe elections
Province been tagged as a hot spot area
TACLOBAN CITY- Major candidates from Samar who are running in the May 9 elections signed a peace covenant with the hope that the balloting in the province will be peaceful and orderly.
The signing of the peace covenant, held last March 29 at the 8th Infantry Division headquarters at Camp Maulong, Catbalogan City, was witnessed by top officials of the Commission on Elections(Comelec), Philippine National Police(PNP), and the Philippine Army(PA).
The candidates who signed the peace agreement were Governor Michael Reynolds Tan who is running for Samar’s second congressional district; Rep. Sharee Ann Tan, who is seeking the gubernatorial post against Gemma Zosa; and Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento of Samar’s first congressional district whose post is being challenged by Stephen James Tan.
Also present were those seeking for the posts of the vice governor and provincial board members.
The covenant, calls, among others, for the candidates to shun any activities that will thwart the will of the electorate like the use of violence and vote-buying.
Comelec Commissioner George Erwin Garcia said that he was glad that the candidates, both from the opposing sides, agreed to sign the covenant as he vowed that the poll body will ensure that the May 9 balloting will be fair and transparent.
“Our chairman (Saidamin Pangarungan) promised that we will ensure full and complete transparency (in the conduct of the) elections,” he said.
Both PNP Chief Dionardo Carlos and AFP Chief of Staff Andres Centino also guaranteed that aside from clean elections, the conduct of balloting in Samar province will be peaceful and orderly.
Carlos, who once served as Eastern Visayas police director, hailed the signing of the agreement.
“We ask the voting public, the candidates and other stakeholders to be with us to ensure that the conduct of the elections will be peaceful and orderly,” he said.
Centino, meantime, said that he has directed all ground commanders to organize units that will be ready to address any possible election-related incidents, adding that he has received a directive from President Rodrigo Duterte to ensure that the May 9 elections not only in Samar but in the rest of the country will be safe, orderly and peaceful.
Samar has been tagged in previous elections to be a concern or hot spot area due to killing incidents said to be perpetrated by either private armed groups or by members of the New People’s Army.
National Security Adviser and vice chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict (NTF- ELAC) Sec. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. also attended the signing of the peace agreement.
Also present were Major Gen.Edgardo De Leon, the commanding officer of the 8th ID; Comelec Regional Director Noli Pipo; and Bishop Isabelo Abarquez of the Diocese of Calbayog, among others.