Peace covenants
set for May polls
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

The Commission on Election will initiate the signing of peace covenants among candidates in the May 14 synchronized elections, in every political district of Negros Occidental, at the start of the campaign period in March.

Provincial Comelec supervisor Jessie Suarez yesterday said this had also been done in previous elections.

The Police have identified 111 of the 600 barangays in Negros Occidental as "areas of concern" in the May 14 elections, because of sightings of armed rebels or intense political rivalries.

Guv -- No UNA-NPC
free zone in Bacolod
BY CARLA GOMEZ

What free zone?

There is no possibility that Bacolod will be a free zone for the Nationalist People's Coalition-United Negros Alliance in the May polls, Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon stressed yesterday.

The governor denied a report (not in the DAILY STAR) that quoted him as saying the NPC-UNA will be forced to declare Bacolod a free zone if former Bacolod police director, Vicente Ponteras, decides to run for mayor against incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia.

Officials behind Capitol siege
in Iloilo should resign -- Tupas
BY NESTOR BURGOS JR.

ILOILO CITY - Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. yesterday called for the resignation of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez., Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Western Visayas police director Chief Supt. Wilfredo Dulay Sr.

The call was made by Tupas in his annual state of the province address.

Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez, chair of the Regional Development Council, meanwhile, said in a press conference that local officials should unite and fight the "Puno massacre," referring to the DILG Secretary.