Candidates from BO-PK and Team Rama receive blessings from UCCP Pastor Joe Steven C. Berdin, Imam Aurangzeb Ali, and Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma. )CDN PHOTO/FERDINAND EDRALIN)
FORMER Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña failed to sign the peace covenant during a ceremony at the Bradford Church Friday afternoon.
Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, who was among four Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) present during the signing, said the former mayor arrived promptly at 2:30 p.m. as scheduled, but had to leave for other commitments.
“He thought he could just sign. He had a lot of appointments, not just sorties. Mar (Roxas) is also here. So he had to meet him. He had to push back some of his schedules,” she said.
Aside from Margot, only North District Rep. Raul del Mar and candidates for councilor Bonel Balingit and Danny Pacaña showed up.
Almost all Team Rama councilors, wearing their green, yellow and red campaign uniforms, signed the covenant on a huge tarpaulin sheet that was put up at the church of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP).
Mayor Michael Rama and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella led the group, which included their bets for north and south district congressmen Alvin Garcia and Councilor Gerardo Carillo.
Incumbent councilors Hanz Abella, Dave Tumulak and James Anthony Cuenco were absent.
Several independent candidates were also present.
Under the covenant for honest, peaceful and orderly elections, candidates commit against threats and violence against candidates or supporters, vote-buying activities, cheating, and use of government resources.
Senior Supt. Benjamin Santos Jr., director of the Cebu City Police Office, said there have been no reports of guns and goons in the city.
What they will be closely monitoring will be cases of vote buying, Santos said.
He said a few days before the elections, they will investigate people who possess a “substantial amount” of money.
The signing of the covenant was spearheaded by the Cebu City Police Office, Commission on Elections (Comelec), Dilaab Foundation and interfaith leaders.
Comelec Cebu City South District election officer Edwin Cadungog said candidates who still wish to sign the document can still do so at their office.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said the signing was a “moment of grace.”
Palma, UCCP Pastor Joe Steven Berdin, and Imam Aurangzeb Ali gave their blessings to the candidates.