Binay seeks peace pact with local bets

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay asked yesterday the local administration candidates led by his rival, Sen. Lito Lapid, to sign a covenant for Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections or HOPE.

Binay made the call after Lapid and his co-adminstration candidates in Makati snubbed the signing of the HOPE pact last Friday, which was initiated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Makati City police chief Superintendent Gilbert Cruz.

"We are hoping for an orderly and honest election to be observed and respected by all candidates in Makati. It is unfortunate that the candidates of Mrs. Arroyo, apparently, boycotted the event," Binay said.

Binay, along with his running mate incumbent Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, his daughter Abigail Binay, who is running as representative for the second district of Makati, and the other opposition candidates for councilor in Makati signed the covenant for HOPE last Friday.

"The conspicuous absence of any of the local candidates of the Arroyo administration at the covenant signing may be an indication that they have no intention of following election rules," Binay said.

Binay expressed confidence that his achievement in his five terms as mayor will be the edge of their Performance Team ticket against the administration candidates.

"We have attained so much for the City of Makati and I am hoping the people of Makati will continue to trust us in creating a better and more prosperous city," Binay said.

Aside from Binay, the other officials who were present during the signing last Friday of the covenant for HOPE include Comelec Makati director Michael Dioneda, Cruz, Comelec election officers Adalia Lopez-Tambuang for District 1 and lawyer Melanie Lagera for District 2, a Catholic priest and a Muslim imam.

"In Makati, the main issue is performance and, in this regard, the performance team is ready and united. All our achievements here in Makati are the fruits of knowing firsthand the problems and issues the city faces and of actually dealing with them," Binay said.

Movie actress Susan Roces, widow of the late Fernando Poe Jr., endorsed the candidacy of Binay and the rest of the Performance Team during their proclamation rally last Friday along Lawton Avenue in the middle of barangays Northside and Cembo. – Jose Rodel Clapano