BAGUIO CITY — The struggle for power instead of service to the public is the root cause of political violence that has affected the country’s political system over the past several decades because of perceived absolute rights as an offshoot of democracy, the commanding officer of the 5th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army said here Wednesday.

Brig. Gen. Romel Gomez said political violence is among the major setbacks to the peace and order initiatives of the national government which must be stopped by concerned authorities in their respective levels, especially in introducing development efforts to benefit the people.

The official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) admitted peace cannot be achieved through the use of guns and bullets alone but it must have with it corresponding development initiatives by local governments and concerned national government agencies through the infusion of funding for infrastructure projects in order to attract prospective investors.

The 5th Infantry Division, based in Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamo, Isabela, covers the Cordillera, Ilocos, Cagayan regions and parts of Region III.

While the police and military will again be deployed to prevent the occurrence of political violence in Northern Luzon, including the Cordillera, Gomez appealed to prospective candidates for the upcoming May 2010 synchronized and automated elections to give up their greed for power and allow their constituents to decide on their fate.

If feuding politicians insist on employing harassment to their constituents just to get their votes, the Army official warned they will not hesitate to enforce the full force of the law on them so that peace and order will continue to reign in identified conflict-stricken areas such as Abra and Kalinga in the Cordillera and some provinces in the Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley.