Aspiring vice president Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan told the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure peaceful campaign activities and elections following the shooting incident in the campaign sortie of presidential candidate Leodegario "Ka Leody" de Guzman in Bukidnon.
As Pangilinan condemned the shooting incident that left five individuals, mostly members of the Manobo-Pulangihon indigenous tribe, wounded, he also called on the Comelec to make sure that the elections come May will be free from violence.
“Kinokondena natin ang barilan na nangyari sa miting ni Ka Leody De Guzman kasama ang mga lider ng Manobo-Pulangiyon sa Bukidnon kahapon. Lima ang nasaktan, kabilang ang apat na katutubo at isa ang volunteer (We are condemning the shooting incident that took place during the meeting of Ka Leody de Guzman with the leaders of Manobi-Pulangiyon in Bukidnon yesterday. Five were hurt, including four members of the tribe and a volunteer)," the senator said Wednesday, April 20.
The lawmaker slammed the Comelec over the incident at a time when a gun ban is enforced nationwide to ensure peace and order leading to the May polls.
"Election period ngayon at merong firearms ban. Ano ang nangyayari, Comelec (We are at the election period and we have a firearms ban. What happened, Comelec)?" Pangilinan asked.
He stressed that the Comelec must also ensure that campaign period is also held peacefully, "not just the elections."
"Dapat niyong panghawakan nang maigi ang kondukto hindi lang ng eleksyon kundi pati rin ng kampanyan. Dapat itigil ang mga karahasan na nagaganap kaugnay ng halalan (You should properly handle the conduct of not just the elections but also the campaigns)," Pangilinan said.
"Dapat ipakita ng Comelec na hindi ito inutil laban sa karahasan. Tungkulin ng Comelec na siguruhing mapayapa, malinis, at tapat ang eleksyon at kampanya (The Comelec must show that it is not useless against violence. It is the Comelec's duty to ensure that the elections and campaigns will be peaceful, clean, and honest)," he added.
De Guzman, along with senatorial candidates Roy Cabonegro and David D’Angelo, visited the Manobo-Pulangiyon tribe who confided about the land-grabbing issues of their ancestral domains.
The election gun ban is enforced from January 9 to June 8, 2022.