Estancia mayor pushes for town under Comelec-control
Twelve days into election day and peace pact withstanding, reelectionist Mayor Rene Cordero of Estancia, Iloilo continues to pursue for the approval of an earlier request that the town be placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The Comelec, The News Today (TNT) learned, has taken cognizance of the mayor's appeal with the request deliberated by the office of Comelec Commissioner Ressureccion Borra.
Expected to be resolved later this week, taken into consideration by the Commission was the independent report of local authorities on incidents that rocked Estancia's peace and order situation.
To recall, the start of campaign period had Cordero and opponent Restituto Mosqueda in the limelight following heated exchanges and a reported near shoot-out of its armed supporters.
Cordero in a chance interview told TNT that his camp is bent on securing Comelec's nod for Comelec-control if only to avert violent incidents come election day.
This as he decried what he shared are continued harassments in various Estancia barangays and the fear instilled throughout the town.
Lawyer Cornelio Panes, counsel for the reelectionist mayor expressed confidence on the government's ability to secure the electorate and ensure a peaceful and orderly polls.
With extra police forces earlier sent to beef up security in this northern Iloilo town, supporters of Cordero and his challenger, retired Police Chief Superintendent Mosqueda were closely watched.
Mosqueda for his part has since vowed to abide with the Comelec peace covenant as he expressed readiness and willingness to submit to any Comelec action and decision.
Mosqueda in his advocacies said principal focus on his mayoralty bid is to effect change in Estancia.
Change, he explained, that will bring development and progress "but this will have to be realized with an improved peace and order situation there."
Repeatedly, Mosqueda said his camp is "most willing" to cooperate and work around the Comelec's take on the Estancia situation.
In the course of the duo's early 'campaign,' talks of armed men from both camps have caught the attention of the Comelec heightened by the March 11 incident where three of the mayor's bodyguards stand accused of attempted murder, alarm and scandal, illegal possession of firearms and violation on the Comelec's gun ban.