With the start of the New Year, Christian and Muslim leaders called Thursday for a high level, informative and educational political campaign to properly guide the people in voting for the best available candidates whether in the national or local levels.

They said a high-level, informative and educational campaign will also be very helpful in preventing political violence from flaring up as politicians will be constrained to explain their respective platforms of government to convince the people to vote for them.

“Thus, the political campaign could be prevented from going down the gutter and enables the people to vote on issues rather than on political demagoguery,” Christian and Muslim leaders said.

The leaders include Rizal reelectionist Governor Jun Ynares III, Reps. Francisco T. Matugas and Guillermo Romarate of the 1st and 2nd Districts, respectively, of Surigao del Norte; Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Plaza who is running for Senator under the banner of Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), Muslim party-list Rep. Acmad M. Tomawis of Ang Laban ng Indiginong Filipino (ALIF), QC Council Majority Floor Leader Antonio Enrile Inton who is running for QC mayor, Eduardo “Boy” C. Morales of 1-Aangat Ka Pilipino (1-AK) party-list and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez who is running for reelection.

They said a peaceful, orderly and credible elections bring out the best in democracy and give substance to the constitutional mandate that sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them. “Political violence, along with a bloody campaign, weakens rather than strengthens democracy,” Christian and Muslim leaders said as they urged the people to go out and vote on election day.