Buruanga political rivals sign peace covenant
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

WE WANT PEACE. Three-termer mayor Concepcion Labindao calls for an end in all election-related violence in her town of Buruanga, Aklan after the peace covenant signing Sunday (BRZabal)

BURUANGA, Aklan – Following the indiscriminate firing incident here late last week, two warring political camps signed a peace covenant yesterday morning to prevent bloodshed during the May 14 polls.
The peace covenant signing -- between Engr. Quezon Labindao (Kampi), husband of three-termer mayor Concepcion Labindao, and mayoral candidate Engr. Rolando Rojo (Uno-PDP Laban) -- was conducted in the presence of Acting Aklan Police Director Senior Supt. Benigno Durana Jr.
It was held following a mass officiated by Fr. Anthony Jizmundo, parish priest of Buruanga.
Durana took this measure with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to prevent election-related violence here.
He admitted that the indiscriminate firing incidents last week prompted the Aklan Provincial Police Office (APPO) to initiate the signing of the peace covenant.
The signing was also witnessed by members of the Aklan Police and Defense Press Corps (APDPC), the Aklan United Media Association and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP).
Durana said they are closely watching the activities of local candidates in the barangays of Buruanga to ensure the conduct of peaceful synchronized local and national elections. He also warned those individuals carrying weapons and giving protection to political candidates during election that he would implement the Comelec gun ban without exemption.
“We are hopeful that the political exercise in Buruanga will be conducted in a civil and peaceful manner,” Durana told reporters.
Incumbent mayor Labindao was also around to witness the signing of the peace covenant by 24 out of 26 local candidates for Sangguniang Bayan of Buruanga.
She said the peace covenant ensures the peaceful conduct of May 14 elections. She said she was pleased by the peace covenant signing between Rojo and his husband.
“The candidates should not employ violence and harassments in the barangays. We believed the sanctity of the ballots,” she said.
During the signing, KBP was represented by Aklan Chapter chairman and DyRG Station Manager Augusto Tolentino. Buruanga Comelec officer Jessie Mangilaya also served as one of the witnesses.
Mangilaya told Panay News that the Comelec would not grant the petition to declare the town of Buruanga as possible “election hotspot.”
He said Buruanga should be affected by serious armed threats from paramilitary units or private groups before the Comelec lists the town as election hotspot.
“Buruanga is not a traditional election hotspot. We urge the politicians and sympathizers to observe the gun ban to prevent election-related violence,” he added.
The Comelec has already issued guidelines in determining a "hotspot" which the provincial Comelec office believed is not applicable to the areas cited.
Among the factors cited by the Comelec for an area to be cited as a hotspot are the presence of armed groups, intense political rivalry, and history of election violence.