Comelec to send monitoring teams to Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato for Feb. 6 plebiscite

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will send special monitoring teams to Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato for the February 6 plebiscite on their inclusion to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the teams will be composed of Comelec personnel with “extensive experience in elections to witness the conduct of operations and to assist.”

Jimenez said the Comelec is also awaiting recommendations from its field officials on whether to postpone or push through with the February 6 plebiscite, which will come in the wake of deadly twin bombings in a cathedral in Jolo, Sulu.

“Mahalaga rin sa Comelec yung safety ng mga botante,” he said.

“Even though may nangangamba tungkol sa safety nila, hindi nagbabago yung boto nila,” Jimenez added.

The February 6 plebiscite will cover the six municipalities of Lanao del Norte, namely Baloi, Munai, Nunungan, Pantar, Tagaloan and Tangkall, as well as 39 barangays of North Cotabato located in municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Cabacan, Midsayap, Pigkawayan, and Pikit.

The first round of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite, on the other hand, was held in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Cotabato City and Isabela City in Basilan on January 21.

The ‘yes’ vote to BOL ratification won with 1.5 million votes in the ARMM, paving the way for ARMM abolition and establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region with an expanded land and water jurisdiction, fiscal autonomy, increased share in national government resources, among others. —KBK, GMA News