CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the clergy, the students, and the media staged a “Unity Run” in this city Thursday.

PNP regional director Chief Supt. Rey L. Lañada, 8th Infantry Division (ID) deputy division commander for operations Col. Joel Ibañez, Samar Provincial Commission on Elections (Comelec) Supervisor Corazon Montallana, the clergy headed by Msgr. Leonardo L. Gualdelquiver, the student from Samar College in this city headed by Instructor Edwin A. Irene, and the media headed by Region 8 PNP Press Corps head Ben M. Veridiano, led their respective contingents in the run calling for an Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections (HOPE) in the coming 2010 May polls.

PNP chief Director General Jesus A. Verzosa arrived, after the 5:30 a.m. Unity Run, to lead in the signing of a covenant with the representatives of participating sectors, and for the ceremonial releasing of doves to dramatize the sectors’ commitment and hope for peaceful and clean elections in Region 8.

The activity is a localized version of the national headquarters’ Unity Run from Camp Crame to Camp Aquinaldo held January 30 in Quezon City.

The PNP chief has given instructions for the same activity to be simulated in Region 8 and other regions and provinces as well, it was learned.

This local dramatization for HOPE was replicated again at 6 a.m. Friday where Verzosa himself leading more than 1,000 runners through the main thoroughfares of Tacloban City.

“The activity is to show to the public that we are united in the drive for an Honest, Clean, Peaceful and Orderly Elections come May 2010,” said Lañada.

“We hope the AFP and the PNP will be able to sustain efforts in this regards,” Lañada said.

Among the efforts in ensuring honest, clean, peaceful, orderly and credible elections is the nationwide implementation of the gun ban through checkpoints, and neutralization of private armed partisan groups in order to level the playing field for all the candidates, it was gathered.