ANSON-ROA HAILS LOCAL BETS AS "POLITICAL MODELS" March 18, 2004 COTABATO CITY--Senatorial candidate Boots Anson-Roa held up as "political models" yesterday 38 South Cotabato competing candidates for signing a covenant pledging to keep the forthcoming elections clean, peaceful and orderly. Anson-Roa, who is running for the Senate under the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino led by the presidential team of Fernando Poe Jr. and his running mate, Senator Loren Legarda, said the 38 candidates issued a manifesto condemning vote-buying and pledging to fight on issues and not on personalities. "They have agreed to fight the use of guns, goons and gold," the KNP senatorial bet said. Impressed by their example, Anson-Roa called on other candidates in Mindanao as well as those seeking national office all over the country to observe a clean, honest, peaceful and orderly poll. "There ought to be a similar covenant among candidates at the national level to insure a clean and peaceful balloting in the entire country," the multi-awarded actress said. Anson-Roa expressed concern over the rising number of election hotspots as identified by the Commission on Elections. "The elections are still far away but there already are a number of violence cases, resulting in the death of some candidates," Anon-Roa remarked. She said the Comelec as the guardian of the approaching electoral exercise should exert its best efforts in preserving a peaceful and orderly election. Anson-Roa lauded Faisal Diaz Tangili, provincial Comelec supervisor, who presided at the signing of the covenant by the 38 local candidates. "This is proof that the South Cotabato candidates desire an election that is credible and truthful," the KNP bet said.