President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday called on Filipinos to do their part to ensure that the May 9, 2022 national and local elections will be peaceful and violence-free.

Duterte made the appeal ahead of the filing of Certificates of Candidacy on October 1 to 8.

The President is hoping all local and national candidates in the May 9, 2022 polls will adhere to laws.

“Ngayong eleksyon, gusto ko sa lahat ng buong Pilipinas na peaceful at (This coming elections, I want that it will be peaceful in the entire Philippines and) people can vote freely for their candidates,” Duterte said during the inauguration of the new Sultan Kudarat Provincial Hospital in Isulan town.

He is also optimistic that there will be no rigging of votes.

“Nobody wants trouble. Nobody wants cheating,” he said. “Nakiki-usap na ako (I’m asking you). I’m pleading, almost praying that people will really stick to the rule of law and avoid violence.”

Duterte warned that he might be forced to “use the might of the military” to ensure that the 2022 elections will be “peaceful and violence-free”.

“Either that we have an election that is free or I will use the military to see to it that the election is free [from any violence]. The military is the guardian of our country and I could call them anytime to see to it that people are protected and elections are freely, orderly exercised,” he said.

Duterte has accepted his nomination as the vice presidential candidate of the ruling party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.

A total of 18,180 elective positions are at stake in next year’s elections. (PNA)