Treñas OK’s signing peace pact
City Mayor Jerry Treñas said he is amenable to sign a peace covenant with his political foes to maintain honest, peaceful and clean elections in the city.
Treñas said there is no problem with him in signing a peace pact with the group of Iloilo City Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr. “In my three terms I always wanted a safe city especially during elections,” he said.
Treñas is running against Gonzalez Jr. in the congressional race, while, the former chief presidential legal counsel is running for mayor under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD ticket.
The political conflict between Treñas and Gonzalez camps started when the mayor bolted out from Gonzalez’s political camp and decided to run against Raul Jr. Factions among 180 punong barangays in the city also arose after the Trenas-Gonzalez split up.
Charges and countercharges between the two groups have been hurled before the actual date of the election campaign which will start on March 26. The issues include social, political and even health issues. Treñas assured he is healthy, the father and son team up also claimed they are also healthy.
One of specific election-related conflicts involving the two camps is the reported harassment made by a close-in security detail of the elder Gonzalez against the children of the mayor. Appropriate cases have been filed by Treñas to the policeman.
Treñas said the peace and order in the city could affect the conduct of a peaceful election and voter’s preference of the Ilonggos to the candidates seeking different elective positions.
The mayor also called the attention of the Comelec and PNP to strictly implement the guidelines specifying the allowable number of policeman serving as police escorts to politicians.