In an effort to ensure a peaceful and fair 2025 midterm election, the municipality of Tobias Fornier in Antique is set to host a peace covenant signing. This initiative comes as the town is the only area in the province flagged for heightened political tensions. Wil Arceño, the Acting Assistant Regional Director of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and also the Antique Provincial Election Supervisor, announced that the peace covenant will take place on February 27. This was discussed during a recent meeting of the Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC).
Arceño expressed optimism about the upcoming elections in Tobias Fornier, emphasizing the importance of the peace covenant in fostering a secure and fair electoral environment. Currently, no other towns in Antique have been recommended for inclusion as areas of concern by the Municipal Election Officers and the Antique Provincial Police Office (APPO).
Lt. Col. Willy Diel, the APPO Information Officer, highlighted the significance of the peace covenant, noting that it serves as a commitment from political candidates to maintain a safe and secure election. Candidates are expected to set aside personal disputes during this event, which is typically held in churches or neutral locations.
Diel also encouraged candidates to surrender any expired firearms to their local police stations. Since the start of the election period and the implementation of the gun ban on January 12, no violations have been reported at the checkpoints set up by Comelec and the local police. These checkpoints will continue to operate randomly and on schedule throughout Antique until the end of the election period on June 11.
Additionally, no private armed groups have been detected in the province that could potentially disrupt the elections scheduled for May 12.