By Juancho Gallarde/PNA
DUMAGUETE CITY — To achieve clean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful (CHAMP) elections, the Diocesan Electoral Board (DEB) of the Diocese of Dumaguete has scheduled a covenant signing for all candidates in the locality.
DEB lead convenor Msgr. Julius Heruela said Wednesday that the peace covenant signing will be held on the feast of the Our Lady of Lourdes, on February 11, the eve of the start of the campaign period set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for national elective positions.
A unity walk will start at 2 p.m. from the Redemptorist Church grounds and will end at the Quezon Park here, with a short activity to follow — an interfaith prayer, giving of messages, signing of a peace covenant, release of white doves, and lighting of candles for peace to be capped with the singing of “Bayan Ko”.
Heruela said he is hoping that political candidates would respond positively to their invitation as a show of their commitment to have safe, clean, honest, peaceful and orderly polls.
Students and other sectors in the community have also been invited to attend.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Negros Oriental has prepared a comprehensive security plan during the activity.
Chief Insp. Jul Mohammad Jamiri, chief of the Election Monitoring Action Center (EMAC) of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, said the deployment of police personnel would also include a Quick Reaction Force, route security, and mobile patrol.
