The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) recorded 121 peace covenant signings in Western Visayas as of this report. 

Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz, Jr., PRO-6 director, said the remaining towns and cities are yet to conduct the peace covenant signing in the next few days. 

“Kakaunti na lang po na mga bayan at lungsod ang di pa nakapagsagawa ng peace covenant signing, ngunit matatapos po lahat bago pa man ang halalan sa Mayo13 (Only very few towns and cities are yet to hold the peace covenant signing and we are certain that they can make it before May 13),” he said. 

The peace covenant is a joint project of the Commission on Elections, Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is aimed to solicit the commitment of political candidates to support the goal of Secured and Fair Elections (SAFE) 2013. 

The peace covenant signing in Region 6 was first held in Jaro, Iloilo City on February 15. 

Iloilo Province has the most number of peace covenant signing made with 31, Negros Occidental has 27, Antique has 19, Aklan and Capiz has 18 each, Guimaras has five, Bacolod City has two and Iloilo City has one. 

Cruz is optimistic that the peace pact is pivotal in the campaign for secured and fair elections.

 “Naniniwala po tayo na totoo po ang suporta ng lahat na lumagda sa covenant (We believe that those who signed the covenant are sincere in their commitment),” he added. 

Meanwhile, PRO-6 is preparing the final blueprint of its personnel deployment for the May 13 elections. 

About 8,000 out of its more than 9,000 personnel will be deployed for field duty. 

“We are rationalizing our deployment to ensure that we have more personnel manning the polling centers, performing police visibility and other law enforcement operations.*