Ecija gov cancels ‘Unity Walk’ among political bets amid rising COVID-19 threat
CABANATUAN CITY – For safety reasons amid a possible shift to the stricter Alert Level 3, Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio M. Umali has put in abeyance the scheduled holding of so-called “Unity Walk” among political bets vying for governor, vice governor, board members and congressional aspirants in the province’s four districts which is supposed to be held at the Freedom Park in Burgos Avenue until the NEPPO gymnasium here on Sunday, January 9.
Umali, chair of the Nueva Ecija Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19, ordered the cancellation of the said activity for the time being after the Provincial Election Supervisor (PES) Office headed by Atty. Rommel H. Rama requested for its holding as part of the poll body’s preparations in the conduct of a peaceful national and local elections on May 9, 2022.
Also put on hold is the scheduled province-wide peace covenant-signing among political bets in the 27 towns and five cities at the NEPPO gymnasium here on the same day.
Also canceled was Friday’s Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC) meeting between the PES, the police, the military and other stakeholders at the same venue.
These canceled activities were supposed to coincide with the official start of the election period on January 9 as the Commission on Election puts up checkpoints nationwide to enforce the gun ban to ensure a safe and peaceful elections in the May polls.
“Per communication with the IATF-NE, the said agency recommended to POSTPONE and HOLD IN ABEYANCE all meetings and similar activities due to the possible change in the Community Quarantine Classification of the province to Alert Level 3,” Rama told election officers.
“In view of the pending new classification issued by IATF as to whether we will move to Alert Level 3, please hold in abeyance such unity walk for our safety,” Umali told Rama. Nueva Ecija is currently placed under Alert Level 2 from January 1 to 15, 2022.
“Pag-uusapan namin din sana dito sa PJSCC ang deployment ng police at army personnel and other security concerns in preparations for upcoming polls pero hindi pa natuloy,” said provincial police director Col. Rhoderick B. Campo.
