By ELLEN TORDESILLAS
LOCAL candidates along with the Commission on Elections, the Church, and civil society groups signed on March 24 a covenant for peaceful elections in Sipalay, Negros Occidental, one of Western Visayas’ election hotspots.
Of the mayoral candidates, however, only detained former Marine Capt. and Independent candidate Gary Alejano showed up, escorted by military security.
A no show was his opponent, Acting Mayor Oscar Montilla, who is the mayoralty candidate of United Negros Alliance (UNA)-National People’s Coalition (NPC).
Alejano is detained at the headquarters of Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Camp Aquinaldo, but was allowed to travel to Sipalay only for the covenant signing. He was brought back to Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City the next day.
Alejano is one of the junior military officers undergoing trial in civilian and military courts for their participation in the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the Manila Peninsula siege in November 2008.
News reports said Montilla sent word through his sister and vice mayoralty candidate, Maria Gina Montilla-Lizares, that he had important business to attend to in Manila, but is prepared to sign on his return the covenant which is an initiative of Project Honest, Orderly, Peaceful Elections, a multi-sectoral body composed of civic and religious leaders in Sipalay.
Lizares, also with UNA but aligned with the Liberal Party (LP), signed the covenant but didn’t stay long for the ceremonies which were held at the Sipalay City gymnasium.
Montilla took over the mayoralty post in an acting capacity from his mother Soledad, who is 80 years old and ailing. She, in turn, also became mayor after her brother, former mayor Rodrigo Chua, was killed allegedly by the communist New People’s Army while he was campaigning in 1987.
Alejano said in his remarks during the covenant signing, “I believe that God bestowed upon us the freedom to choose. Our vote is a sacred gift from Him. And therefore, we shall not disgrace Him by selling our votes, or for a candidate to buy votes, and to use any means to deprive others of their right to vote. Let us make Sipalay a peaceful, progressive and livable city which every Sipalaynon can be truly proud of.”
Among those who took part in the covenant signing were Rev. Fr. Numeriano B. Maquiran, Jr. of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, chairman of Project H.O.P.E; Jessie Suarez, and Comelec provincial election supervisor, Negros Occidental.
Also represented in the signing of the covenant were the Department of Education, the Armed Forces, the Philippine National Police and the Sipalay chapter of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.
Aside from Alejano and Lizares, other candidates who signed the covenant were Alejano’s running mate, Bebsie Villegas (Independent) and the councilors on their ticket.