COMELEC-10 urges MisOcc electoral candidates to be ‘role models’

Lawyer Francisco Pobe, regional director of COMELEC-10, speaks in front of aspiring Misamis Occidental provincial electoral candidates during the Peace Covenant Signing and Unity Walk on March 1, 2022 at the New FUnction Hall, Capitol Building, Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental. (Leslie Ann Felicilda/PIA-10)

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC)-10 called out political candidates in the province to be an example and role model in the community through their participation in the covenant signing for a peaceful elections, March 1.

Lawyer Francisco Pobe, regional director of COMELEC-10, said the event is a personal commitment of candidates to show they are law abiding and morally upright and most of all, God fearing personalities.

“My concept is this, this is our moral and social obligation, personal commitment. You sign because you want this to happen in the community. You want to become an example, role model in the community,” he said.

Meanwhile, he assured them that together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP), the election will not only be successful, meaningful, and safe, not only accurate but most importantly an acceptable election for everybody.

“In the history of automated elections from 2010 until now, wala pa gyud nakadaog sa protesta sa automation (no one has won a protest against automation), because we have less intervention in it. It is a precinct specific election process with about 97 machines in the Philippines,” he said.

He emphasized that there is only one bottomline in the election, “To become public servants the best way we could and to build a legacy for the next generations to come.”

As to intense rivalry of politics in Misamis Occidental, Pobe shared it is normal. A vibrant politics would show especially if you have candidates with the same qualifications, same capacity, same intellect and have the criteria of a good leader, he said.

The peace covenant signing, he said, is a renewal of commitment among candidates and stakeholders wherein the election is not solely under the monopoly of COMELEC but rather a participative effort from the voter, community, up to the national government that handles the election.

“You cannot expect a good election if peace and order is not in line with liberty and freedom for each of us,” he said. (JMOR/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)