Former San Fernando Mayor Lakambini Reluya
With the elections less than two months away, candidates of opposing parties in San Fernando town signed a peace covenant at the southern town’s church yesterday.
San Fernando was one of the election hot spots in the 2013 elections. All town candidates of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), except incumbent Vice Mayor Miguel Antonio “Mikko” Canoy — who is running for mayor — attended the event and signed the peace covenant.
The opposing Alayon Party led by former San Fernando Mayor Lakambini Reluya came in full force. Alayon is affiliated with the Nationalista Party.
Reluya is running for San Fernando town mayor against Vice Mayor Canoy.
Incumbent Mayor Antonio Canoy, the vice mayor’s father, is running for congressman representing the first district against Rep. Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas, who is seeking reelection.
San Fernando Vice Mayor and mayoralty candidate Antonio Canoy
Rep. Gullas is the grandson of former Rep. Eduardo Gullas. Chief Inspector Richard Gadingan, chief of San Fernando police station, said he was happy that both parties showed up to sign the peace covenant.
The event was organized by the police, Commission on Elections and the church.
Vice Mayor Canoy’s running mate Fralz Sabalones, who is eyeing the vice mayoralty post against Reliso Enad of NP, led the NPC in signing the covenant.
Sabalones said Canoy told him that he would attend the event but he failed to arrive.
Reluya of Alayon said she was not bothered by Canoy’s absence.
She said she and her slate will follow the guidelines of PNP, AFP, and Comelec.
The police in Central Visayas earlier recommended that San Fernando town in southern Cebu be included in the election watch list because of past election-related incidents, especially during the 2013 elections.