REP. Luigi Quisumbing of Cebu’s 6th district and Mandaue City Councilor Emmarie Ouano-Dizon signed a peace covenant at the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) grounds Wednesday morning.
The members of their respective slates also signed the covenant and committed that they will help ensure peaceful elections in Mandaue City.
Of the 29 official candidates of Mandaue City, only 27 attended the covenant signing initiated by the MCPO and supported by the Mandaue City Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Mandaue City Councilor Nenita Layese and former city councilor Alfonso Albaño both from LP did not show up.
“We are here to support the peace covenant though Mandaue City had no untoward incidents for the past elections,” said Ouano-Dizon who is running under the One-Cebu United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
“It is our wish that Mandaue City maintains its record of having peaceful elections,” said Quisumbing of the Liberal Party (LP) Cebu chapter.
Senior Supt. Jonathan Cabal, Mandaue City police chief, echoed the sentiments of the two mayoral candidates, saying the city never had any election-related violence.
Mayor Jonas Cortes also attended, together with Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede.
Cortes is running for Congress of the 6th district while Bercede is running for board member under LP.
Cortes said that even if he is under LP, he was there as a mayor supporting the activity for a peaceful election.
“Hopefully, this will transcend beyond election,” he said
Also present during the program is Mandaue City Election Officer Atty. Anna Fleur Gujilde.
Gujilde said that even without the signing, she is proud to say that the official candidates of Mandaue City are peace-loving people.
As of today, only Carcar City, Bogo City and Mandaue City have done a peace-covenant signing.
For her part, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza said she is open to having a covenant signing and assured she will attend if Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) and the Comelec will initiate one.
Radaza is seeking reelection under LP.