President Rodrigo Duterte has assured the public of a clean and peaceful midterm election in 2019 in the country months before the start of the filing of certificates of candidacy for that election.
“In this election, I commit to the Filipino people that this will be a clean election,” Duterte said in a speech during the Hugpong ng Pagbabago Convention Friday night.
He said he would ask the Commission on Elections to deputize him.
“I will say to the Comelec to personally deputize me. There will be voting, and the votes will be counted correctly. And in the next few months I will impose the Alunan doctrine,” Duterte said, emphasizing the importance of the Alunan doctrine that limits the number of bodyguards for each politician to two.
“You cannot bring long firearms during election time,” Duterte told the more than 6,500 participants in the event.
He also told the New People’s Army not to “mess up” the elections next year, calling them not to interfere and demand taxation.
“Do not terrorize and I will tell the Armed Forces and the police not to interfere if you are not deputized by the Comelec,” he said.
“Wherever it may be, in Jolo or Abra, the moment I hear terrorism I will personally be there and will enforce the law. And If I have to do it, you’re on your own. I already told you there will be no terrorism. No one will bring firearms except the police.”
The President also said there will be checkpoints in every part of the country.
“Confiscate the firearms… Let me deal with the bad boys,” he said.
Duterte also said he was committed to the people in bringing a fair and peaceful election.
“Let me reiterate that this administration remains committed to preserve and defend our most cherished democratic values, one of which is the vibrant party dynamics in the Philippines’ political environment,” he said.
“Indeed, it is only through an open democratic society that we can truly uphold the ideals that we hold dear.”