Bacolod City: Candidates running for local positions here pledged peaceful polls during a covenant signing at Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Tuesday afternoon.

According to Philippines News Agency, twenty-five candidates signed the peace covenant to uphold the laws and resolutions for the conduct of a clean, honest, accurate, meaningful, and peaceful elections on May 12. They signed in the presence of Bacolod City election officer Revo Sorbito, Negros Occidental election supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria, and representatives of other concerned agencies.

In his message, BCPO Director Col. Joeresty Coronica told the candidates that by affixing their signatures, they have declared that they will allow the voice of the electorate to prevail. "This is a pledge of peace and integrity, and respect for the democratic process," he said. Coronica also reaffirmed BCPO's commitment to ensure a safe electoral environment, stating, "We shall remain steadfast in our duty to protect our citizens, safeguard the sanctity of the ballots, and uphold the principles of democracy without bias or preference."

Among those who signed the peace covenant were mayoral candidate Greg Gasataya; congressional bets Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and Evelio Leonardia; and vice mayoral aspirants Councilors Renecito Novero and Claudio Jesus Puentevella. Gasataya assured the people of Bacolod of his compliance with the covenant.

The candidates pledged to focus on their respective platforms of government and to refrain from attacking the personal lives of their opponents. They vowed to avoid vote-buying, all forms of election fraud, the use of threats, and to refrain from spending beyond what is lawfully permitted during the campaign. The signatories promised to be held accountable for the actions of their campaign leaders and to accept nobly the results of the election.