Senior Supt. Leonardo Suan, PNP Eastern Visayas deputy regional director for operations, said the signing has kicked off in Northern Samar last week and it will be done in other provinces after the Comelec provides the final list of official candidates.
All candidates for the village positions from village chief to
council members, and for Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) positions, are enjoined to
sign the peace covenant to ensure peaceful, clean, non-partisan and honest
elections, according to the PNP official.
The signing will be done during candidates' forum in every towns
and cities.
“We ask all chiefs of police in the region to invite all
candidates and initiate the signing of peace covenants. Candidates are not
obliged to join, but their presence is a manifestation of their commitment to
peaceful and orderly elections,” Suan told reporters on Monday.
On top of the peace covenant signing, policemen will also visit
communities with history of poll-related violence to conduct the
"operation election tokhang." Tokhang is a combination of Cebuano
word tuktok (knock) and hangyo (persuade).
For PNP, the term refers to knocking on suspected drug trafficker
or drug addict's home to persuade them to surrender and stop their illegal
activities.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has identified 284 villages
in the Eastern Visayas region as election hotspots, citing intense political
rivalries, threats of armed rebels, and violence committed by criminal groups.
PNP-8 (Eastern Visayas) Director Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz said in
a press briefing Friday night they identified these areas in consultation with
other security agencies, and also based on the parameters set by the Comelec.
Northern Samar has the most number of areas on the watchlist with
114, followed by Samar (82), Eastern Samar (60), and Leyte (28).
These villages are in the towns of Bato, Carigara, Tabango, Alangalang, Albuera, Burauen, Hilongos, Inopacan, La Paz, Leyte, Macarthur in Leyte province; Basey, Calbayog City, Calbiga, Daram, Hinabangan, Jiabong, Marabut, Matuguinao, Motiong, Paranas, San Jose de Buan, Sta. Margarita, and Talalora in Samar; Can-avid, Dolores, Hernani, Jipapad, Llorente, Maslog, Arteche, Balangkayan, Balangiga, General Macarthur, Giporlos, Maydolong, San Policarpo, Sulat, and Taft in Eastern Samar; Catarman, Catubig, Laoang, Lapinig, Las Navas, Lope de Vega, Mapanas, Pambujan, Palapag, Rosario, San Jose, San Isidro, and Silvino Lobos in Northern Samar. (SQM/PNA)
These villages are in the towns of Bato, Carigara, Tabango, Alangalang, Albuera, Burauen, Hilongos, Inopacan, La Paz, Leyte, Macarthur in Leyte province; Basey, Calbayog City, Calbiga, Daram, Hinabangan, Jiabong, Marabut, Matuguinao, Motiong, Paranas, San Jose de Buan, Sta. Margarita, and Talalora in Samar; Can-avid, Dolores, Hernani, Jipapad, Llorente, Maslog, Arteche, Balangkayan, Balangiga, General Macarthur, Giporlos, Maydolong, San Policarpo, Sulat, and Taft in Eastern Samar; Catarman, Catubig, Laoang, Lapinig, Las Navas, Lope de Vega, Mapanas, Pambujan, Palapag, Rosario, San Jose, San Isidro, and Silvino Lobos in Northern Samar. (SQM/PNA)
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