REVILLA TO COMELEC, PNP: ENSURE CLEAN ELECTIONS
URGES GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT AMONG POLL CANDIDATES

Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. today called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure an honest, orderly and peaceful Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections as he urged all candidates to undergo a gentleman's agreement with their political rivals to curb poll-related violence.

According to the senator, the forthcoming synchronized elections will be an acid test for Comelec Acting Chairman Resurrecion Borra and PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr., both being newly-appointed to their posts. "The outcome of the elections will surely reflect both on Borra and Razon. The burden of pursuing a clean election largely lies with them. They will answer dearly to the electorate," he said. Revilla stressed that Borra must exert all efforts to make sure that there will be an unquestionable result of the elections to regain the public's trust and confidence to the Comelec which has been tainted with anomalies.

He also appealed to all candidates to make a gentleman's agreement to ensure the maintenance of peace and order in the communities.

"I believe that having a peace pact among political contenders in the 41, 994 barangays nationwide would lessen election-related violence. Let's work together to achieve a smooth conduct of election, "the lawmaker said.

This was the suggestion of Revilla in view of the warning by the head of the national federation of barangays that this year's barangay elections might be the bloodiest in history.

Based on a report from Liga ng mga Barangay ng Pilipinas President James Marty Lim, the same people who contested each other in the mid-term election five months ago, either as candidates or political supporters, will have another face-off in the election on October 29. Lim said the league recorded 30 deaths of barangay officials right after the May 14 election but they believe that the actual figure might be higher, as many cases go unreported. According to the senator, a peace covenant among barangay and SK candidates would help the Comelec and PNP in its efforts to restrain incidents of violence during the election period. "All candidates may set up a joint meeting prior the voting day where they will sign a covenant in front of their kabarangays ensuring they will respect the outcome of the election and will support whoever the winning candidates will be. This would discourage violence, "Revilla explained.

Citing figures from the German-based non-profit educational foundation Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), there were 125 election-related violent incidents (ERVIs) that left 75 persons dead and 26 injured in the barangay elections of 2002.

Revilla also urged not only the candidates but also their supporters to engage in a healthy and friendly competition during and after the campaign period. "In the barangay level, most candidates are related to each other- childhood friends, kumpares and even relatives. The bottom line is they all want to serve their communities. They might only differ in platforms. In the end, they are still magkakabarangays," he added.

There are eight members in the barangay council and each member is a head of any of the following committees: peace and order, health, infrastructure, education, tourism, agriculture, finance, and youth and sports. The SK chairman automatically as ex-officio member of the council and gets the chairmanship of the committee on youth and sports.

The Comelec estimated the number of candidates nationwide could easily reach to more than one million, battling for the 671,920 Barangay and SK positions.