ISABELA CITY, Basilan – The civil society organizations in Basilan together with the military,
police, and a number of local candidates in various elective positions have
gathered on April 11 for a compact signing to ensure peaceful, free, and fair
2013 elections.
The historic event dubbed “Payapang
Bayan, Payapang Halalan (Peaceful Nation, Peaceful Election)” campaign was
convened by the Consortium on Electoral Reform (CER), the Commission on
Elections (COMELEC), the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Team
Basilan.
Ramon Casiple, CER Chairperson said
that they have been around the country, especially in areas with history of
election-related violence to hold similar compact-signing events in order to
push for a peaceful election.
“The good news is, in which the PNP
could attest that there is a big drop in the incidence of election-related
violence in the country,” he said, noting that for so many decades now,
election violence had been one of the major problems that hinder peaceful and
honest elections.
He said that most election
violence-related incidents are associated with another phenomenon—warlordism,
which created situations of electoral fraud and white terror that undermine the
right of suffrage among citizen-voters during the electoral exercise and
eventually threatens democracy itself.
“Of course, election violence and warlordism
are often the offshoot of dynastic politics and situations of close contests
between or among political candidates, particularly in local areas. They are
part of the triad we often referred to as the traditional ‘guns, goons, and
gold’ politics in the country,” he stressed.
Under a presidential order, the
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National
Police (PNP) together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),
established Task Force for Secured and Fair Elections (TF SAFE) to ensure the
peaceful conduct of 2013 elections.
It is within this context that CER
proposed a convergence of efforts by government and civil society against
election violence for the 2013 national and local elections.
On the Civil Society Organization
(CSO) side, the proposed project, named “Payapang Bayan, Payapang Halalan”
Campaign (PAYAPA), aims to undertake the campaign against warlordism and
election violence on the local level, by undertaking cooperative measures
between government and civil society and among stakeholders to actually
minimize, or even eradicate warlordism and election violence, and to
create the proper environment for free and fair elections.
In his keynote speech, Atty. Ray
Sumalipao, COMELEC-ARMM Regional Election Director lauded the candidates
present for giving their valuable time to take part in the compact-signing as a
manifestation of their commitment to achieve peaceful and fair elections.
“This is a historic event because
you [the candidates] took part to make Basilan province a dynamic and superlative
province in the Philippines by allowing voters to choose leaders freely. Safe
and honest election is possible if we allow voters to freely elect, choose
their leaders according to their conscience,” he said.
He reminded the candidates and
Basilan stakeholders that election rules are already there and in place to
attain a peaceful election, but most importantly to attain a credible and
acceptable elections.
For its part, he said COMELEC has
been instituting reforms in the elections citing some major prosecution of
cases in courts and cleansing the voters list in the ARMM of fraudulent and
unscrupulous individuals.
“We have one common vision, i.e. an
honest and peaceful election. But we cannot achieve it without you,” Sumalipao
told the candidates and the Basilan stakeholders.
At the event, only one gubernatorial
candidate, two mayoralty contenders from Lamitan and few candidates for
Sangguniang Panlalawigan and councilors attended the compact signing. It was
learned that the Liberal Party candidates were in Cotabato City to join in the
proclamation rally of Team Pinoy with President Benigno S. Aquino III.
The candidates who signed the
covenant had pledged to contest in the election within the democratic rules,
respect and protect the sanctity of the ballot, and to allow the will of the
people to prevail.
Meanwhile, the Basilan stakeholders, to include the
religious sector, civil society organizations, the business and the academe
have also signed and committed to actively
participate in securing a peaceful, free and fair 2013 ARMM election, such as
in election monitoring and voter education; coordinate and
engage the security sector in providing a Secure and Fair 2013 ARMM election;
conscientiously monitor and help COMELEC and LGUs in order to ensure fair and
impartial elections; continually engage and monitor political groups,
electoral aspirants and their supporters in their compliance with electoral
laws and in respecting the right to suffrage of ARMM citizen-voters; and to
responsively engage media institutions, TV, radio, print and social media for
responsible reportage of the 2013 ARMM election. (PIA9)
