Davao City dad calls for unity amid PCL fiasco

DAVAO CITY – City Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang has called for unity among members of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), as he urged his colleagues to "vote for the rightful leaders."

In a statement on Monday, Dayanghirang appealed to all the parties vying for PCL's leadership positions to observe "prudence, patience, and sobriety as partisan passions have derailed efforts to hold an honest, peaceful, transparent and orderly election."

The PCL national elections on February 27 were postponed due to a glitch in the software installed by a third-party provider.

An ad hoc committee formed to investigate the cause of the failure of the automated voting system is expected to submit its findings and recommendations to the PCL National Board later this week.

Dayanghirang, incumbent PCL national chairman, said he had chosen to remain quiet in the past days amid the controversy hounding the 2020 PCL national elections and despite the accusations thrown at him by the camp of Albay Provincial Board Member Jesciel Richard Salceda.

Dayanghirang is Salceda's rival for PCL's national chairmanship.

“Instead of exposing myself to (the) spotlight to gain the sympathy of the public, I opted to allow the proper forum, i.e. (the) ad hoc committee formed by the PCL National Board in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), perform its duties, free and unhampered,” Dayanghirang said.

“I call for calm and continued respect for the rule of law as the country is watching the PCL and its members and we have the responsibility to work assiduously to ensure that the prevailing tension does not escalate,” he added.

He also encouraged his fellow councilors to work for the best interest of the organization and the country by "endeavoring to diffuse tension and aid the promotion of harmony and good relations."

“Let us not be sidetracked by intrigues and tricks. Instead let us be one and united PCL,” Dayanghirang said. (PNA)