Zamboanga del Sur bets ink peace covenant for 2025 polls
PEACE VOW. Zamboanga del Sur gubernatorial candidates Dumalinao town Mayor Junaflor Cerilles and 1st District Rep. Divina Grace Yu shake hands after the signing of a peace covenant on Saturday, March 15, 2025. LEAH AGONOY
PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – Zamboanga del Sur midterm election candidates on Saturday pledged to help achieve peaceful and orderly elections and signed a peace covenant.
The covenant signing was held inside Camp Reginaldo Abelon here, the headquarters of the Provincial Police Office.
The peace covenant serves as an agreement among the Zamboanga del Sur local candidates and officials for an honest, orderly and peaceful elections in the province, said provincial election supervisor John Paul Cubero.
Participating in the process were the two major political camps led by their respective gubernatorial candidates, Dumalinao town outgoing Mayor Junaflor Cerilles and outgoing 1st District Rep. Divina Grace Yu.
Cerilles said their participation is to show commitment “to the goal towards not just a peaceful and orderly elections” and also to help rally the people to be united behind that aim.
Cerilles also reminded authorities of their mandate to enforce the law, prevent and control crimes, maintain peace and order, and ensure public safety and security through a collaborative effort with civil society and other community stakeholders.
“To fellow candidates, I know that every one of us here wishes to win this coming election. But as we work towards our victory, let us not use our power, authority and money at the expense of officers, teachers losing their uniform, their reputation and their dignity (and) at the expense of losing innocent lives (that leaves) grieving families behind. Let us be reminded that as leaders, we are also part of maintaining peace and order in this province,” she added.
Yu also pledged to be part of the solution to achieve honest, orderly and peaceful elections.
Last year, several village leaders in the province were attacked, some even resulting in deaths, with authorities suspecting these were triggered by political tensions.
