2016 Bataan Peace Covenant signed

CITY of BALANGA, Bataan – Aiming to ensure a peaceful and fair election this coming May 2016, the provincial candidates participated in the Peace Covenant Signing initiated and witnessed by the Philippine National Police (PNP), Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), Commission on Elections (Comelec), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), held at the St. Joseph Cathedral, this morning.

“Ang pagtitipong ito ay pangako ng isang maaliwalas na bukas upang ang halalan na darating ay mapaghandaan natin,” said Msgr. Regie Hizon, chairman of the PPCRV, as he welcomed the guests and participants in the said event.

Mr. MelanioSibayan, City Election Officer, led the reading and the peace covenant signing.

“We have a very high expectation that this coming elections will be the most peaceful one given the fact that a lot of our candidates are unopposed,” Sibayan told 1Bataan.

Meanwhile, PS Supt. Rhodel Sermonia, Provincial Director of Bataan PNP, proudly expressed that on the part of the PNP, they are actively doing their part in preparing for the election, saying, “We have just started monitoring the Partisan Armed Group, accounting of loose fire arms and round-the-clock police intervention. We assure you that we are very much prepared for this coming election.”

A mass was held before the program proper which was officiated by Bishop Ruperto Santos and Rev. Fr. Antonio Bernaldo wherein Bishop Santos challenged the participants, saying, “Dapat ang maging batayan ay ang tatlong “K” sa laban na ito: Kadakilaan ng Diyos, Kabutihan ng lalawigan at Kaligtasan ng bawat isa; at kahit na anuman ang ninanais nating tungkulin, iisa pa rin ang ating layunin at iyon ay ang maglingkod sa bayan nang tapat, ito ang ating pangako at pananagutan.”