Vice presidential candidate and Senator Franklin Pangilinan on Thursday called on the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to ensure a safe election season after reports of shootouts as of late.
"Election period ngayon at merong firearms ban. Ano ang nangyayari, COMELEC?" Pangilinan said in a statement. "Dapat niyong panghawakan nang maigi ang kondukto hindi lang ng eleksyon kundi pati rin ng kampanya."
(This is the election period and there is a firearms ban. What is happening, COMELEC? You need to uphold your conduct not just on the election but also during the campaign.)
According to Pangilinan, it is the COMELEC's responsibility to ensure a safe campaign period and election day, and it should show that it will not useless against election violence.
"Dapat itigil ang mga karahasan na nagaganap kaugnay ng halalan. Dapat ipakita ng COMELEC na hindi ito inutil laban sa karahasan," he said.
(Violence related to the elections should stop. The COMELEC should show that it is not incompetent against violence.)
He made the remarks after the presidential candidate Leody De Guzman, along with senatoriables Davidn D'Angelo and Roy Cabonegro, were caught in a shootout while meeting with Manobo-Pulangiyon indigenous tribe in Bukidnon on Tuesday.
De Guzman said he and the other national candidates were not harmed during the incident, but five people were hurt.
"Kinokondena natin ang barilan na nangyari sa miting ni Ka Leody De Guzman kasama ang mga lider ng Manobo-Pulangiyon sa Bukidnon," commented Pangilinan.
(We condemn the shootout that happened during a meeting of Ka Leody De Guzman with leaders of the Manobo-Pulangiyon in Bukidnon.)
His running mate, Vice President Leni Robredo, through her spokesperson, said they are thankful that De Guzman is safe.
"There can never be any justification for firing at peaceful, unarmed civilians," said spokesperson Barry Gutierrez in a statement.
COMELEC ensures probe
COMELEC, in response to the recent incident with De Guzman, ensured that a probe in the shootout will be carried out if it is election-related.
"Kung iyan ay election-related, count the COMELEC in. We will definitely investigate, we will prosecute at hindi kami papayag na basta-basta ganito na lamang," COMELEC Commissioner George Garcia told DZRH in an interview.
(If that is election-related, count the COMELEC in. We will definitely investigate, we will prosecute, and we will not just let things go.)
Previously, the commission offered additional security escorts for presidential and vice presidential candidates to ensure their safety ahead of the elections this May.
