To My Boholano Brethren and Friends:
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
I am writing you as a member of the Boholano community. My being the incumbent governor is only incidental in this letter of prayer request. Whatever is our political affiliation, it is a universal fact that we ought to pray together over issues and problems concerning our society, the country, particularly the Province of Bohol. What hurts our Province will harm us all no matter what our standing in society is.
As we all know, election is fast approaching. We will all exercise our right to vote and choose the right leaders who would defend and implement laws, protect and promote the interest and welfare of our people, and work on the causes of our children, families, and the very future of Bohol.
Election is a gift of a democratic society like ours, a very precious gift that must be used for the common good. But if this gift, the right to vote, is tainted with misinformation which we also call as black propaganda, or if this gift is assaulted with threats of violence and intimidation, then our society is in danger of being ruled by tyrants and heartless individuals who in one way or another have joined the forces of darkness.
I am very frank in saying that never in the history of Bohol do we experience a kind of political wickedness that is trying to swallow our society. Intelligence reports of the police and the military have clearly shown the presence of strange Tagalog-speaking men who are armed with high-powered guns and who are now roaming the entire province of Bohol with an evil intention to manipulate May 13, 2013 elections. The same military reports, and as published by all Bohol newspapers, reveal that money gained from illegal drug business will be used to fund campaigns and influence votes.
The presence of guns, goons, and illegal drugs that will be used in this election is a looming tragedy that calls for a united voice of the Boholanos. I urge you, brethren, for the sake of our children and families, let us all knock the doors of heaven and seek the intervention of our God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
We all believe that our military and the police can only do so much to preserve the peace and order of Bohol. But we also acknowledge that there is a power that is greater than all of us. The God of the heavens, the Mighty Creator of us all, has the power to frustrate all evil plans of candidates who want to destroy Bohol's future.
And we need to pray together that God will intervene against all forms of evil, manipulation, and violence. We need to pray that righteousness, justice, peace will reign in our province in this election and beyond.
As a public servant, my heart bleeds whenever I received reliable reports regarding the use of guns, goons (private army), and illegal drugs as evil instruments for electoral victory. This is not part of God’s will. The Bible says God hates evil. You and I hate evil. What we desire is God’s righteousness, justice, and peace to flow like mighty rivers in our land.
As your friend and public servant, and together with Vice-Governor Concepcion O. Lim and members of the Provincial Board, I would like to request you, your family, your relatives here and abroad, your friends, our brothers and sisters in Christ who are in the church to pray continuously, asking God for His will to reign supreme, that He may enlighten our people and guide them in their decisions come May 13 and beyond, that God may send His angels to battle against all forms of evil for the sake of His people and for His kingdom. That we may all be overwhelmed by the grace of God’s love and protection.
We believe, as what Jesus Christ had said in the Scriptures, that “apart from ME you can do nothing.” He also said that "if God is for us, then who can be against us."
We have no power to charter the course of history and the future of our people. But God is in control, but we need to pray right now.
Thank you very much for your prayers, and thank you for your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
God bless us all. Let the peace and righteousness of Christ Jesus reign in our hearts and in our land!
Sincerely yours,
(Sgd) Atty. Edgar M. Chatto
Governor, Province of Bohol