Officials and candidates from opposing parties release white doves as part of the “Ünity Walk” organized by the Commission on Elections, National Police and Army in the city. (photo by Lito Rulona)
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ONE of the organizers of the “Unity Walk, Prayer Rally and Peace Covenant Signing” yesterday denied that it left out some political groups in the activity that signalled the start of the election period on Sunday.

Supt. Mardy Hortillosa II, spokesman of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo), said the local police sent out invitations to all political parties that fielded candidates here based on the guidelines from Camp Alagar.

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“Gipadalhan namo tanan og invitation. Wala lang namo gitagsa-tagsa, among gipadala sa ilang mga headquarters kada partido para dali ra ang paghatud kay ang ubang kandidato wala man namo matultoli asa ilang mga balay,” Hortillosa said.

Councilor Lordan Suan, who is seeking a reelection under the Padayon Pilipino-Centrist Demicratic Party coalition, is among the candidates who did not attend the first activity at the start of the election period that would be last until June.

Suan said neither did his party send him a notice about the activity nor did he receive an invitation from the organizers.

Suan’s party’s top two candidates, former Agriculture undersecretary Jose Gabriel La Viña and ex-mayor Vicente Emano, were also a no-show.

Suan said he cannot say why La Viña and Emano, mayoral and vice mayoral candidates, respectively, did not participate in the election-period activity.

“Ambot ngano nga wala pud sila maka tunga, basta kay para sa ako,  wala na lang ko motunga kay wala man ko makadawat og invitation,” Suan said.

Many of the candidates under the La Viña-Emano group were also a no-show.

But the group’s candidate for 2nd District congressman, former representative Rufus Rodriguez, came and even shook hands with his political rival Councilor Yan Lam Lim, and 2016 mayoral race opponent Mayor Oscar Moreno. With Rodriguez were Padayon Pilipino-CDP candidates for city council seats, lawyers James Judith and Ramon Tabor, an ex-councilor.

Some of candidates under Moreno’s group also failed to come like Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin Uy and Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya.

“Basin dugay nakamata sila si Vice Mayor Uy ug Kagawad  Nacaya, ma-o nang wala sila makatunga,” said Councilor Teodulfo Lao Jr..  

Uy’s father Rolando, 1st District representative, and most of the PDP-Laban candidates for councilors, attended and were signatories to the “covenant.”

The “unity walk” started at the rotunda in Macasandig up to the Kiosko Kagawasan in Divisoria on Sunday morning.

The activity was also graced by religious leaders like Roman Catholic Msgr. Elmer Abacahin and evangelical group Bishop Jose Roy Rodriguez, and Ustadz Lizandro Laurio. They led the crowd in an ecumenical prayer.

Commission on Elections regional director Renato Magbutay said attendance to the activity was not mandatory, and the Comelec cannot force candidates to join it.

The Comelec, according to Magbutay, would organize a similar activity at the start of the campaign period for local politicians on March 29. He said the Comelec would see to it that all the candidates would receive invitation letters.

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