Lanao Norte towns sign peace covenant; Army warns poll violators

ILIGAN CITY —Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan candidates in two towns of Lanao del Norte have signed a covenant to ensure a peaceful, honest, and orderly conduct of elections on May 14, 2018.

Candidates in Pantar and Balo-I towns held their respective peace covenant signing a day before the 9-day campaign period that began last May 4.

The peace covenant signing events were initiated by the Local Government Units, Commission on Elections, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police and other government agencies.

One of the candidates who signed the peace covenant was a former Overseas Filipino Worker for 17 years Hashim Macabantog, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Public Administration, who has returned home to try his luck in politics and to serve his barangay.

Macabantog told reporters that his home Barangay East Kalilangan is deprived of water and electricity since he was still in his youth.

On the other hand, Captain Jovane Roble, Commanding Officer of the 42nd Mechanized Infantry Company of the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, said that the AFP and the PNP would not hesitate to arrest violators of election laws.

He warned that anyone who would try to disrupt the conduct of the polls, including those who engage in vote buying, will be arrested.

He assured the voting public that his troops, augmented by the scout rangers are ready to respond to any untoward incidents that may erupt before and during the conduct of the May 14 elections.

He said that the PNP and the AFP personnel in the two provinces will continue to be non-partisan and ready to serve and respond to complaints during the conduct of the elections.

Roble added that the said peace covenant was also initiated by the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade Commander Col Robert Dauz and under the supervision of 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion Col Eliezer Valdez. —LBG, GMA News