Comelec: PNP does not see disruptions during Feb. 6 plebiscite for expansion of Bangsamoro region

The conduct of the second round of the plebiscite for the inclusion of additional areas for the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region on February 6 is expected to go smoothly, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Tuesday.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez was referring to the plebiscite which will cover the six municipalities of Lanao del Norte namely Baloi, Munai, Nunungan, Pantar, Tagaloan and Tangkal as well as 39 barangays of North Cotabato located in the municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Cabacan, Midsayap, Pigkawayan, and Pikit.

“The biggest concern coming into the elections [on February 6 is possible spillover of incidents in other parts of Mindanao, but the PNP (Philippine National Police) has said that there is no need to increase the number of election hotspots and they are not expecting any great disruptions during the February 6 plebiscite,” Jimenez said at a press conference.

The inclusion of these areas in the new region would only materialize if the area concerned and their respective mother unit will approve of their inclusion, meaning a municipality in Lanao del Norte will join the new region if majority of those in the concerned municipality and the province of Lanao del Norte will approve of their inclusion.

The barangays in North Cotabato, on the other hand, can only join the new entity if majority of those in the concerned barangay and those in the municipality where this barangay belongs to would vote yes.

“Let us face it. The January 21 polls was a success, and we hope to duplicate that success here [in the second round],” Jimenez said.

Jimenez was referring to the Day 1 of the plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law which abolishes the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and replaces it with Bangsamoro Autonomous Region which will be granted with an expanded land and water jurisdiction, fiscal autonomy, increased share in national government resources, among others.

The first round of the plebiscite covered the existing areas of ARMM for the ratification of BOL question and Cotabato City and Isabela City in Basilan as to whether they want to be under the jurisdiction of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

The yes vote for the ratification won with over 1.5 million votes as against around 198,000 no votes.

On the other hand, there have been seven bombing incidents across Mindanao in the last six months, with the last two involving a Catholic church bombing in Jolo, Sulu which killed at least 23 people and the Zamboanga City blast which killed at least two people.

President Rodrigo Duterte declared Mindanao under martial law since May 2017 to suppress rebellion led by terrorists from the Maute group.

Since then, Congress has extended the implementation of martial law thrice, an extension that will end on December 2019. 

Meanwhile, on the eve of the second round of plebiscite, authorities have imposed tight security measures in Midsayap, North Cotabato.

According to a News To Go report by Sandra Aguinaldo on Tuesday, teachers already inspected the ballot boxes and other election paraphernalia which will be used for the plebiscite.

North Cotabato police chief Senior Superintendent Maximo Layugan assured the public that policemen are ready for the plebiscite.

"Pagkatapos ng eleksyon, maybe depende kung anong resulta ng eleksyon... pero kinoconsider pa rin natin baka may mga pwedeng maging problema later. We are ready to address hand in hand with the Armed Forces of the Philippines," Layugan said. — RSJ/KBK, GMA News