Candidates from the opposing groups in Mandaue City gathered for the signing of a peace covenant on Tuesday. | CDN Digital photo / Mary Rose Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Ahead of the official start of the local campaign period on March 28, Mandaue City candidates on Tuesday made a commitment to ensure the conduct of peaceful elections here in May.
Members of Team Mandaue of dismissed Mayor Jonas Cortes and One Mandaue of Rep. Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano Dizon gathered at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Center for the signing of a peace covenant.
Gepind Requirme, a candidate for mayor, and Aidan Pepito, a candidate for city councilor, were also present during the activity that was organized by the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), in coordination with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
READ: Dismissed Mayor Cortes reinstated as mayoral candidate
“The peace covenant acts as a collective commitment among local candidates and officials to uphold a transparent, orderly, and violence-free election in Mandaue City” said MCPO spokesperson Mercy Villaro.
Before the start of the covenant signing, the candidates, who were accompanied by some of their supporters, gathered at the National Shrine of St. Joseph for a Holy Mass at 7 a.m. They then conducted a unity walk to the Sports Complex where a short program was held.
READ: Transferee voters in Mandaue City face possible election-related charges
| CDN Digital photo / Mary Rose Sagarino
Peace covenant
Villaro said that Mandaue City does not have any record of election-related violence. Still, they organized the peace covenant to remind the candidates and their supporters of the need to ensure the conduct of honest and peaceful elections here.
For Cortes, Team Mandaue’s mayoral candidate, the signing of the peace covenant was a commitment.
READ: Regal Oliva tells Lolypop to stop lying: ‘Bakakon siyang daku’
“Ang kani’ng peace covenant is a commitment. Hopefully sa buhat, buhat ang pasultihon, dili sulti ang pabuhaton. Atoang ipakita nga og unsay atoang gipirmahan, mao atoang buhaton,” he said.
(The peace covenant is a commitment. Hopefully, we will let out actions speak and not the other way around. Let us show that we are committed to uphold what we signed.)
READ: Rep. Ouano-Dizon denies hand in cancellation of Cortes’ COC
| CDN Digital photo / Mary Rose Sagarino
Like Cortes, Ouano-Dizon said that she too wanted peaceful elections here.
“As always, mao man gyud na atoang gipakita sa Mandauehanon. Lain-lain ta og partido, lain-lain siguro ta og opinyon but we are here amoang group One Mandaue nanghinaot, ang atoang gusto gyud nga peaceful and successful atoang eleksyun,” said Ouano-Dizon who is seeking reelection as Mandaue City lone district representative.
(As always, this is what we wanted to show to the Mandauehanons. We may differ in our parties, opinions but we at One Mandaue hope for a peaceful and successful election.)
Political rivalry
Provincial Board Member Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano, One Mandaue’s candidate for mayor, acknowledge the long history of political rivalry between the Cortes and Ouano families. However, this never resulted in election-related violence, he said.
“Maybe sa social media daghan mag-away atoang lumalaban, magbugal-bugal anha ra kutob. That’s normal. Hopefully till after the election walay mahitabo nga untoward incident,” he added.
(Maybe on social media, many of our supporters fight, they make fun, but it ends there. That’s normal. Hopefully till after the election, no untoward incident will happen.)
For his part, Requirme also made a commitment to uphold peace and harmony during the election season.
Earlier, Comelec-7 Director Atty. Francisco Pobe confirmed that Mandaue City is being closely monitored due to the heightened political rivalry here. But the police has given the assured that the city remains very peaceful.