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Bohol port expansion project for cruise ships awarded

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said it awarded the P667.44-million expansion project for Bohol’s Port of Catagbacan, serving cruise ships, to JFAP Construction.

In a notice of award, PPA said the Ormoc-based company obtained the contract to develop the site in Loon, Bohol.

The contractor has 720 days to complete the project, the PPA said. 

According to the resolution of PPA’s bids and awards committee, 10 companies bought bid documents for the Port of Catagbacan project. 

Earlier this month, Premium Megastructures, Inc., another construction company based in Ormoc City, won the P704.55-million contract to build a new cruise terminal in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro.

The PPA’s website lists the Ports of Currimao, Ilocos Norte, Salomague, Ilocos Sur, as well as facilities in Manila, Bohol, and El Nido, Palawan as currently equipped to accommodate cruise vessels.

The PPA has said that it is working on several port projects including expansions, terminal construction and rehabilitation works.

The PPA has set a 2025 passenger target of 85.41 million, 9.5% higher than the 2024 target.

The port regulator said it expect more sea travel in 2025 due to the growing demand for domestic travel. — Ashely Erika O. Jose

Flat tax seen easing burden on top earners — think tank

People line up to file their income tax returns at the Bureau of Internal Revenue office in Intramuros, Manila, April 18, 2022. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ RUSSELL A. PALMA

POLICYMAKERS should consider simplifying the income tax regime via a flat, with top earners currently a disproportionate burden, possibly jeopardizing fiscal stability, according to a House of Representatives think-tank.

In a report, the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) said legislators could explore changes to the income tax system, saying that the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law is overburdening top earners, with the effect of narrowing the tax base.

It recommended a 10% or 15% flat tax for those earning more than P250,000 a year to simplify the tax code and make it more fair to taxpayers.

“The income tax base became narrower after the passage of the TRAIN Law,” the report’s authors, David Joseph Emmanuel Barua Yap, Jr., Edrei Y. Udaundo, and Jubels C. Santos wrote.

“Policymakers are enjoined to explore alternative tax structures, such as a flat tax that simplifies compliance or a shift toward consumption-based taxation that broadens the revenue base,” they added.

The TRAIN Law, signed by former President Rodrigo R. Duterte in December 2017, sought to rationalize the tax system by exempting individuals earning less than P250,000 annually from income taxes. It also imposed excise taxes on sweetened beverages and raised duties on petroleum, automobiles, tobacco, and other goods to offset foregone revenue. 

“The changes to income tax brackets and income tax rates resulted in major shifts in the distribution of the income tax burden,” the think tank said.

While top earners already bore the majority of the income tax burden prior to the TRAIN Law, its passage has further increased their share, according to the CPBRD.

The tax share of top earners — with earnings of at least P1.35 million in 2017 — amounted to 72.4% (P183 billion), according to Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) data cited in the paper.

By 2023, those earning P1.43 million or more accounted for 88.1% (P258 billion).

“These figures suggest that recent improvements in income tax revenue in recent years came largely from top income earners,” the think tank said. “The continued narrowing of the tax base, in turn, suggests that the growth prospects of income tax revenue may be constrained as overall performance relies on a small portion of income taxpayers.”

“The large burden placed on the top income earners increases the vulnerability of revenue streams to shocks,” it added.

Income taxes account for 10% to 12% of the National Government’s revenue, according to the CPBRD report.

Implementing a 10% flat tax could yield the government P152 billion, while a 15% rate could generate P227 billion, according to CPBRD estimates based on 2023 BIR data.

Policymakers should also look at reorienting the tax structure towards consumption, either by increasing the value-added tax (VAT) rate or introducing new and targeted excise taxes.

“Shifting the tax burden from income to consumption incentivizes savings and investment by allowing taxpayers to retain their full earnings upfront and taxing them only when they spend,” the CPBRD said.

“This has the potential to further stimulate economic growth by encouraging capital accumulation,” it added.

Increasing the VAT rate to 14% from 12% could raise P168 billion in revenue, the report added.

The impact of consumption-based taxes could be cushioned for “low-income individuals” by exempting basic goods from rate increases or by offering discounts on their purchases similar to the current senior citizen discount system, the CPBRD said.

Legislators should also make the national budget more cost-efficient by cutting down on “wasteful and questionable spending practices.”

The government should explore “right sizing” the bureaucracy to trim spending, the report added. “A modest downsizing effort would compensate for — a large part of the expected revenue losses from the removal of income taxes.”

A 10% reduction in government payroll could generate P160 billion in savings — equivalent to half of the 2023 income tax take, the CPBRD said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Philippine military offers support for civilian convoy planning concert at sea

ABOUT a hundred fishing boats left Masinloc, Zambales on May 15 to escort the second Philippine civilian mission to Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc) in the South China Sea. The group led by Atin Ito! placed symbolic buoys at sea and distributed supplies including fuel and food packs to Filipino fishers in the waterway that China claims almost in its entirety. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINE military is prepared to support a civilian convoy that will head to contested areas of the South China Sea in May to deliver supplies to local vessels and perform a “sea concert.”

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) wants these civilian organizers to coordinate with the military to ensure their safety, Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent T. Trinidad told a news briefing on Tuesday.

“The Armed Forces welcomes all civic groups that would like to show support to the stance of the government in the West Philippine Sea,” he said, referring to areas of the South China Sea within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

“The Philippine Navy, the Armed Forces and other government agencies are always ready to support them in their endeavor and to provide assistance, if and when necessary,” he added.

The Atin Ito (This is Ours) coalition on Monday said it was finalizing the details of the voyage, but it is planning to start the trip to the Spratly Islands on May 25.

The mission will last three days, Rafaela David, president of party-list group Akbayan and co-convener of the coalition, told a news briefing.

The groups would deliver supplies to Filipino fishermen and troops and hold a concert to assert Philippine sovereignty over certain features of the disputed waterway, she added.

“Actions like this — a group sail and the third organized by that particular group — is very much welcome provided that they get the right coordination with the appropriate government agency,” Mr. Trinidad said.

Ms. David earlier said they would not seek government approval for their mission to ensure it is purely civilian-led.

Mr. Trinidad said they are willing to escort civilian sails, but on a “case-to-case basis.”

“The presence of the AFP and the Philippine Navy in the West Philippine Sea is based on the patrol plans of the Northern Luzon Command and Western Command,” he said. “In the event of specific details, like particular requests for escorts by different civil society groups, this will be taken up on a case-to-case basis.”

The Philippine Navy expects a “foreign player” to react to the Philippine convoy, Mr. Trinidad said, alluding to China. “Tensions… are not the result of the actions of the Armed Forces. This is the result of a foreign player who would like to control not only the West Philippine Sea but also the South China Sea.”

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam. A United Nations-backed tribunal in The Hague in 2016 voided China’s claim for being illegal.

The Philippines and China have repeatedly clashed in the sea, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, due to overlapping claims over disputed maritime features.

Manila has accused China’s coast guard of aggression at sea, while Beijing is furious over what it calls repeated provocations and territorial incursions by its neighbor’s coast guard.

Meanwhile, Mr. Trinidad said the Philippine military could secure the Environment department while it conducts biodiversity research at Reed Bank and Commodore Reef and as it sets up a scientific research station at Thitu Island.

“The role of the Armed Forces is to provide a security blanket in any part of the archipelago to allow other government agencies to be able to perform their mandate,” he said. “If we have to… escort them, as what we have done in the past… then we are prepared for that.”

Palace says ICC has power to probe drug deaths under ex-President Duterte

FORMER PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. DUTERTE — REUTERS

By John Victor D. Ordoñez and Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporters

THE PRESIDENTIAL palace on Tuesday said drug-related deaths under former President Rodrigo R. Duterte fall under the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) jurisdiction since Manila was still a member of the tribunal at the time.

“What the President said is that there is no jurisdiction now, that’s true,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing.

“But the crimes that happened… prior to the withdrawal from the Rome Statute are under its jurisdiction,” she added, citing the treaty that created the ICC.

The tough-talking leader, who was President from 2016 to 2022, was arrested last week in Manila, marking the biggest step yet in the ICC’s probe of his alleged crimes against humanity during an anti-illegal drug crackdown that killed thousands and drew condemnation around the world.

The Hague-based tribunal has been investigating him for crimes he allegedly committed when he was Davao City mayor and during the first three years of his government, when the Philippines was still a party to ICC.

The Philippines under his administration withdrew from the ICC’s founding treaty in 2019 when it started looking into allegations of systematic extralegal killings.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. earlier said his government was just doing its job in carrying out the ICC arrest warrant and cooperating with the International Criminal Police Organization, adding that it was nothing personal against his predecessor.

“The ICC case against Duterte is not a putdown or diminishing of domestic courts,” Maria Kristina C. Conti, an ICC-accredited lawyer representing several victims of the drug war and secretary general of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) in the National Capital Region, said in an e-mail.

“In fact, this case would be considered as instructive on the part of Philippine courts as well because we pick up jurisprudence from international bodies when the courts take on substantive international law,” she added.

During his six years in office, 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations, by the police’s count. Human rights groups say the deaths could be as many as 30,000.

Mr. Duterte could become the first former Asian head of state to stand trial at the ICC, a court that has largely handled cases from African nations.

The firebrand leader made the crackdown on the illegal drug trade a key plank of his election campaign, promising to kill 100,000 criminals in his first six months in office and throw so many bodies in Manila Bay that the fish there would “grow fat.”

“Taking cue henceforth, we hope local courts accorded jurisdiction under law could take enough notice how concepts and principles, specifically of crimes against humanity, are evolving,” Ms. Conti said.

‘IT’S A DONE DEAL’
Meanwhile, Ms. Castro said it would be up to Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra whether to stay in his post after he recused himself from Supreme Court lawsuits seeking to declare former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s arrest as illegal.

“Nothing has been discussed about (about the President replacing Mr. Guevarra) because this is very recent,” she said. “But perhaps it would be better if the solicitor general himself assesses whether he is still fit to serve.”

In a Viber message to reporters, Mr. Guevarra, who was Mr. Duterte’s Justice secretary, said it he would leave it to the President to decide on whether to keep him as solicitor general.

“The Office of the Solicitor General is not only the government’s counsel; it is also the tribune of the people,” he said. “The President, in his wisdom, fully understands this.”

In a related development, government prosecutors asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the consolidated lawsuits filed by Mr. Duterte’s children seeking to nullify his arrest for being moot.

“The President was merely complying with [Philippine] international obligations and performing his role as the chief architect of the country’s foreign policy,” the Department of Justice said in a 33-page pleading.

“This naturally is well within the President’s discretion to do so, and the exercise thereof is patently a political question, which is beyond the review power of the courts,” Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix L. Ty, said in the plea.

The petition to produce Mr. Duterte’s body had been mooted by the fact that he is no longer in the country and is now under the ICC’s custody, he added.

“It’s a done deal,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla separately told reporters, referring to the ex-President’s arrest. “He’s already there [in the Netherlands], and he said he will face all the charges,” he added in mixed English and Filipino.

Also on Tuesday, Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Sue Mae L. Ting said the tribunal had ordered the Duterte siblings — Sebastian, Veronica and Paolo — to comment on the DoJ pleading within five days.

The High Court also “noted without action” the motion for reconsideration filed by Mr. Duterte and his former police chief, Senator Ronald M. Dela Rosa, seeking to reverse its denial of a restraining order against the ex-President’s arrest.

The ICC has scheduled Mr. Duterte’s trial for Sept. 23.

BI cites rising cases of trafficking involving scam groups

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday sounded the alarm over the increasing number of Filipino trafficking victims leaving the country through backdoor routes to work for scamming groups overseas.

In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado noted that the bureau has been enhancing border security measures, local authorities should work together to prevent illegal departures.

He cited three repatriated trafficking victims — two women and one man — had returned to the Philippines on March 16 from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, aboard a Philippine Airlines flight.

They had been lured into working as “love scammers” and endured over two months of physical assault and torture from their employers before seeking help from the Philippine Embassy.

Upon their arrival, the National Bureau of Investigation took custody of the victims and started a probe against their recruiters.

Initial investigations showed that the victims had no official record of departure from the Philippines. They reported having left the country illegally by traveling on a small boat from Jolo, Sulu to Sabah, Malaysia.

In Sabah, their passports were stamped with a fake Philippine departure stamp before they moved by land to Kuala Lumpur, flew to Bangkok and eventually arrived in Cambodia, the agency said.

The victims were recruited through Facebook by a fellow Filipino who promised them customer service representative jobs in Cambodia, with an offer of a monthly salary of $1,000 (P57,200). But upon arrival, they were trained to work as “love scammers” and were paid only $300.

When they tried to transfer to another employer due to underpayment, they were physically assaulted, had their phones confiscated, and were later abandoned in an unfamiliar location.

They eventually managed to contact the Philippine Embassy, which facilitated their repatriation.

A forensic examination by the bureau’s Documents Laboratory confirmed that the victims’ passports carried fake departure stamps.

Mr. Viado said addressing human trafficking requires a “whole-of-government” approach. He cited the need for increased vigilance by local government and law enforcement agencies, particularly in areas prone to illegal departures.

He also cited a recent study by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking on backdoor routes as a significant step toward safeguarding vulnerable areas and preventing further exploitation of Filipino workers.

“Everyone must work together, as there is a need to strengthen efforts at all levels to curb illegal departures,” he said. “Traffickers are exploiting illegal routes to avoid detection by Immigration, making it crucial for local government units and local authorities to increase monitoring and enforcement in vulnerable areas.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

More than half of working students juggle school and work for money reasons — report

TESDA

MORE than half of Filipino working students cited financial reasons as their motivation for juggling their studies with work, a report from a data forensic company showed on Tuesday.

The Nerve found that 56% of working students cited wanting to “gain financial independence” as reason for balancing work and studies, while 46% said they want to “gain real-world experience and relevant skills.”

“Closely related among current students is the fact that they needed to provide and support their household expenses in terms of helping improve their family’s life,” Antonio Joaquin N. Mercado, a strategist at The Nerve, said during the report launch.

In terms of challenges, 56% of respondents said they struggle with time constraints, while 36% and 33% cited physical health and mental health concerns, respectively.

“Many cited that they struggled in terms of their personal and social time, and so finding these responses, time constraints, closely related to those that say physical health concerns and mental health concerns, it takes a very troubling picture of how being a working student can actually take a toll on one’s well-being,” Mr. Mercado added.

The report found that 46% of working students drop out of school due to limited financial capacity, while others were forced to drop out due to family responsibilities (38%), and difficulty in work and life balance (29%).

Moreover, the study found that ambition did not emerge as an issue for working students with more than eight out of ten respondents saying they were eager to upskill. Six out of ten said they were actively seeking opportunities to learn and upskill and more than one in four (26%) said they wanted to upskill but are concerned about time and cost.

For these reasons, Mr. Mercado noted that workshops, short courses, and micro-credentials became a popular option for upskilling due to their practicality.

The study noted that flexibility in time and finances is the most crucial way to help lighten the burden of working students.

“It is the alleviation of these financial pressures, or just a form of assistance in these financial pressures, which could prove to uplift their situation and empower them towards achieving their dreams,” Mr. Mercado said.

“However, more than just being able to provide flexibility in terms of work and study schedules, what we also want to emphasize is that supporting working students must go beyond just relevant real-world experience must be embedded to ensure not just educational achievement but career readiness.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Roque likely escaped via Tawi-Tawi

PCOO.GOV.PH

THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday said that former Presidential Spokesperson Herminio “Harry” L. Roque may have taken the same backdoor exit via Tawi-Tawi used by dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice L. Guo to escape authorities.

“Any powerful individual backed by Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) or have access to funding and resources such as the POGOs can easily sneak out of our borders and enter other neighboring countries,” Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado said during a Senate committee hearing.

Mr. Viado added that the escape route used by the dismissed mayor may have also been utilized by the former presidential spokesman.

“Since Atty. Roque has no recorded departure in the BI’s records, he most likely took the same route as Alice Guo in leaving the country by using a backdoor exit in Tawi-Tawi,” he said.

He added that the agency found it difficult to pinpoint the exact sea or airport used to allow Ms. Guo and Mr. Roque to escape out of the country, both have alleged links to POGOs.

In an earlier committee hearing, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency Director Ferlu J. Silvio said that it was possible she and her companions had fled the country via Tawi-Tawi province since it was much nearer to countries like Malaysia.

“The POGOs have numerous unofficial ports of exit to choose from in order to whisk away their bosses and criminal accomplices, that is why it is difficult for us to pinpoint the exact sea or airport that the POGOs used to allow Alice Guo and Harry Roque to escape from,” Mr. Viado said.

Mr. Roque is seeking asylum in the Netherlands, as he joins former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s legal team before the International Criminal Court. — Adrian H. Halili

DoTr shortlists MRT-3 GM candidates

PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) has submitted a shortlist of candidates for a new Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) general manager (GM) to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., its chief said on Tuesday.

“I think there is a need for change in government agencies, especially in those offices that directly impacts the public,” Transportation Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon said in a radio interview on Tuesday.

Mr. Dizon cited the recent incident in MRT-3 Taft Avenue station where an escalator had malfunctioned on March 8 due to issues with its main drive chain, resulting in 10 passengers sustaining injuries.

“We need someone who takes action immediately, like this recent train mishap where an escalator malfunctioned. It took a while before it got fixed,” Mr. Dizon.

Mr. Dizon said he has named recommendations and is waiting for the official announcement from the Office of the President.

Separately, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Clarissa A. Castro confirmed to reporters that the DoTr had submitted a list of names for the next general manager of MRT-3.

Further, Mr. Dizon said the DoTr is also considering at least one additional train during peak hours to accommodate more passengers.

On Monday, the DoTr ordered the extension of the operations of MRT-3 by at least an hour.

During weekdays, the first train of MRT-3 from North Avenue station operates from 4:36 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; while the first train from Taft Avenue station operates starting 5:18 a.m. to 10:11 p.m. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

ERC warns vs fake electric meters

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) cautioned the public about the sale and use of electric watt-hour meters without its authorized seal or those bearing fake seals, stickers, and false meter test reports.

“The ERC strongly urges everyone to remain vigilant and cautious about the meters installed at their premises, and those purchased from physical or online stores. Only meters that have been type-approved, tested, and sealed by the ERC may be used for revenue metering and are assured of accuracy,” the agency said in an advisory on Tuesday.

An electric watt-hour meter is a device that measures and records an end-user’s consumption over time.

Under existing laws, rules, and regulations, only electric watt-hour meters that have been type-approved by the ERC may be used for revenue metering by distribution utilities and redistributors, the agency noted. All meters are required to be tested and sealed by the ERC before installation at consumers’ premises.

A non-ERC-approved meter cannot serve as the basis for a customer’s monthly electric bill as it does not ensure accuracy.

The ERC said that it has observed that some electric meters being sold in physical and online stores are not type-approved or have fake seals, stickers, and spurious meter test reports.

“We urge all industry players and consumers to verify with the ERC whether meters purchased from these sources have been type-approved, tested, and sealed,” the agency said. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Probe of Masungi contract cancelation sought

MASUNGIGEORESERVE.COM

A PHILIPPINE Senator on Tuesday called for a review on the cancelation of the contract of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) with the developers of the Masungi Georeserve in Rizal.

“The protection and conservation of the environment and our natural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations of Filipinos is a sacred duty entrusted to our leaders,” Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano said in a statement.

The senator filed Senate Resolution No. 1323, dated March 12, which urged the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to look into the DENR’s move to revoke its Supplemental Joint Venture Agreement with Masungi developers Blue Star Construction Development Corporation.

The Masungi Georeserve is a conservation area designated as a “strict protection zone,” according to the region’s management plan.

He added that it was the Senate’s duty to understand the facts from both sides and help resolve the issue.

“Congress must take the initiative to hear all sides, with a view to facilitating a smooth and orderly resolution of the dispute, if feasible,” Mr. Cayetano said.

The DENR had earlier canceled the agreement with the developer of Masungi Georeserve due to irregularities in a housing project.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has yet to set a date for the inquiry. — Adrian H. Halili

Complaint filed vs onion importer due to lack of permit

PIXABAY

THE Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) filed a complaint against a company that imported fresh yellow onions worth P2.37 million without the needed permits.

The BPI filed a formal complaint before the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office, according to a Department of Agriculture (DA) statement, citing food safety and plant quarantine regulations.

The complaint stemmed from importation of 25 metric tons of fresh yellow onions from China without the necessary import permit.

The shipment had an estimated value of P2.37 million. It arrived at Manila’s South Harbor in July, according to the DA.

It noted that during the period of importation, the BPI had suspended the issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearances (SPSIC) for fresh yellow onions.

The suspension covered Jan. 1 to Aug. 19 of 2024.

The BPI said the firm had failed to provide a satisfactory explanation as to why it imported the onions without first securing the necessary SPSIC, a certification ensuring the vegetables were safe for human consumption and would not spread pests or plant diseases. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Rival Moro politicians forge election peace deal

COTABATO CITY — Feuding politicians in two Bangsamoro provinces, locked in immense political rivalries, forged a peace deal on Tuesday, binding them to abide by the Omnibus Election Code.

Suharto T. Mangudadatu and Tucao O. Mastura, gubernatorial candidates for the newly created Maguindanao del Norte, re-electionist Maguindanao Gov. Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu and contender Datu Ali M. Midtimbang affixed their signatures to the compact after a peace dialogue at the headquarters of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID) in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

The dialogue, organized by officials of 6th ID led by Major Gen. Donald M. Gumiran, was jointly presided over by George Erwin M. Garcia, chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., Brig. Gen. Romeo J. Macapaz, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, the commander of the military’s Western Mindanao Command, Lt. Gen. Antonio G. Nafarrete, and Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulrauf A. Macacua.

Two aspirants for congressional representative in Maguindanao del Sur, re-electionist Mohamad P. Paglas and Esmael T. Mangudadatu, vice gubernatorial candidates in the province, Benzar A. Ampatuan and Sheik Hashim D. Nando, and two contenders for vice-governor of Maguindanao del Norte, Marshall I. Sinsuat and Ainee Limbona-Sinsuat, also signed the covenant.

The agreement enjoined all signatories to cooperate in ensuring safe, peaceful and clean elections in the adjoining Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte provinces.

“We are peace and security deputies of the Comelec during the 2025 elections. We will, thus, exhaust all means of ensuring safe and clean elections in these two provinces,” Mr. Nafarrete said. — John Felix M. Unson

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