DATU SALIBO, Maguindanao -- For a peaceful and fair elections, this town's candidates to the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections signed a peace covenant and sworn before the Qur’an on Thursday.
Initiated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and supported by the Army, police and Department of Education, the peace covenant signing for honest, orderly and peaceful elections (HOPE) transpired at the town’s covered court in Barangay Poblacion, Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.
Datu Salibo town is one of the conflict-affected towns of Maguindanao due to the presence of lawless elements and outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
The candidates, through the peace covenant, vowed to abide by the rules of the Comelec and help ensure for a peaceful, orderly and credible barangay and SK polls on May 14.
“We promise not to use violence to advance our candidacy, we vow not to resort into cheating, intimidation or force,” Abdilla Usop, a village council candidate and one of those who attended the gathering.
“We have sworn before the Qur’an we will not use aggression and that is guarantee the election will be peaceful,” said another candidate.
In Northern Kabuntalan, Maguindanao, over 800 candidates have also vowed a peaceful election during the forthcoming May 14 polls.
“We wish nothing but peaceful election, after this activity, we will be the same people living here so we should not resort to violence,” Angcad Maguid, a candidate for village council said after the peace covenant signing held in Barangay P. Labio on Thursday.
Candidates in South Upi, Maguindanao also affixed their signatures on the peace covenant to support the desire of the Comelec, security officials and teachers who will man the balloting for the people to abide by the rules of the poll body.
Lawyer Udtog Tago, Maguindanao election supervisor, lauded the local government units that initiated peace covenant signing to ensure a credible election.
He reminded all the candidates in Maguindanao’s 36 municipalities to abide by the provisions of Comelec Resolultion 10294 on the campaign activities from May 4 to May 12. (PNA)
