Place Manila under Comelec control – Jinggoy

MANILA, Philippines - Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada yesterday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to place Manila under its control to ensure peaceful and orderly elections in May.

Estrada issued the appeal after Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno had asked Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. to declare the city a poll hot spot amid the rising tension between feuding political candidates.

Estrada’s father, former President Joseph Estrada, had a heated verbal tussle with Mayor Alfredo Lim over the arrest of Moreno and five city councilors for sponsoring a bingo game on Tambunting street in Sta. Cruz district last Jan. 16.

Moreno, a former ally of Lim, is Estrada’s runningmate. The vice mayor accused Lim of ordering the arrest.

The arrest of Moreno and the councilors came a day after Lim and Estrada signed a peace covenant for peaceful and orderly elections.

“Let’s not wait for things to get out of hand in Manila,” the younger Estrada said. “This incident should be a call for the Comelec to step in and prevent the tension from escalating.”

While the senator believes that his father and his partymates would adhere to the peace pact, Estrada expressed concern that supporters of their rival party might resort to “desperate moves” to win the polls.

Under Section 1 of Comelec Resolution No. 3618, the poll body can place certain areas under its immediate and direct control when there is intense political rivalry between or among candidates.

The Comelec earlier said it will not declare Manila a poll hot spot despite the squabble between Lim and Estrada.

Brillantes said there is no need to declare Manila an election hot spot since the campaign period for local candidates will start on March 29.

He noted that Manila has never been considered an election hot spot in the past.