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Calbayog City ? Amid growing fears that the May 10 polls could be the most violent yet in the country, the Nacionalista Party yesterday challenged newly installed Armed Forces Chief of Staff Delfin Bangit to help the police stem the tide of pre-election killings, which have already claimed the lives of 90 civilians.
Both NP standard-bearer Manuel Villar and his running mate Loren Legarda issued this call as they barnstormed through the provinces of Samar, Leyte and Biliran to woo the votes of the predominantly Waray constituency.
The NP team said it was not yet too late for the Arroyo administration to ensure violence-free elections on May 10.
"The cycle of politics and violence has to stop. Only then can we say that we have a working democracy? if we can hold an election without bloodshed," said Legarda. "I challenge the Department of Justice, PNP and the Arroyo administration to put an end to this."
Villar and Legard called attention to political killings as Samar and other parts of the country continue to be jarred by election-related violence.
According to Villar, Bangit's first assignment is to help curb poll violence.
He said that Bangit should team up with Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Verzosa since much was expected of the two officials, "especially after both of them have categorically declared that they would not follow any illegal orders or commit illegal actions pertaining to the elections."
"This is their chance as well to vindicate themselves against critics who suspect them as enemies of democracy and puppets of President Arroyo," Villar said.
He also urged Verzosa and Bangit to go after private armies of politicians that still proliferate in many areas of the country despite a proclaimed government crackdown.
Villar said he has received reports that private armed groups being employed by politicians were prevalent not only in Mindanao but also in some parts of Luzon and the Visayas. /INQUIRER
