Cordero, party mates snub Estancia peace covenant signing
ESTANCIA town in Iloilo province has been on the police’s election watchlist of areas of concern because of its intense political rivalry.
That’s why, the PNP, together with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the church, advocated for the signing of a peace covenant.
But the peace pact seemed to have gone to naught after several important signatories, former Mayor Rene Cordero and his partymates, snubbed the covenant signing Tuesday afternoon at the Estancia Roman Catholic Church.
In attendance were members of the Liberal Party led by Mayor Restituto Mosqueda , Partido ng Masang Pilipino of Arlene Bacos, and independent candidates running for Sangguniang Bayan members.
Instead of going to the covenant signing, Cordero’s camp gathered at Lakas-Kampi CMD headquarters in Estancia town and explained their side why they gave a “cold-shoulder” for the police-initiated covenant signing.
Cordero claimed that they opted not to sign because their four conditions were not met.
Foremost of which was the relief of Estancia PNP chief Senior Insp. Dwight Fonte, Jr.
Cordero also added that he doesn’t need a piece of paper to prove that he is not keeping any private army.
“Wala ko ya goons. Ang gusto ko nga tanan diri nga goons sa Estancia, i-disarm kag ang chief of police, i-islan kay tama na sya ‘ya ka bias,” he claimed.
Further, Vice Mayor Butching Aclaro said that the covenant signing is nothing but a drama staged by Mosqueda and Fonte.
He claimed that they were harassed by Mosqueda on several instanced and Fonte did not nothing.
“Kung ang grupo namon magkadto sa barangay, ginasunod na sang ila mga tawo. Gin-reklamo namon sa chief of police (Fonte) pero wala man aksyon. Ang akon second cousin, ginlampusan sang bato sa ulo, gin-request ko ang chief of police nga imbestigahan, asta subong, wala man gihapon resulta. Then ang natabo sa Bayuyan, ang chief of police mismo ang nagbukas sang salakyan ni Mayor Cordero maski indi man adto legitimate checkpoint,” Aclaro narrated.
Mosqueda, on the other hand, claimed that what happened during the covenant signing is self-explanatory.
“We abhor violence and I hope that it will not be of lip service and it will be in actions,” Mosqueda said adding, “I hope my constituents and the media will be the referee. I suggest that the media will be here during the elections so that you will know by yourself, determine, assess, and associate what is actually happening in Estancia.”
Meanwhile, a dismayed Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) chief Senior Supt. Renato Gumban reminded candidates that a covenant is a sacred vow signed before God.
“Kung wala sila di sa covenant signing posible nga i-violate na nila nga mag-leadsila sang violence during elections. That’s what we are trying to prevent,” he claimed.
Further, local parish priest Fr. Raul Dayaday and election officer Ma. Concepcion Maravilla appealed to the candidates to stand by what they signed.