Datu Odin Sinsuat to be placed under Comelec control — Garcia

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will place Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte under its control following a fatal attack on an election officer, poll chief George Erwin Garcia said Thursday.

Garcia made the remark after the Comelec en banc denied recommendations to place the province under the control of the poll body amid reported violent incidents in the area.

’Hindi na natin malalagay sa Comelec control ang buong probinsya,” said Garcia.

(We will not put the whole province under Comelec control.)

“Naka-focus kami sa Datu Odin Sinsuat,” he said.

(We are focused on Datu Odin Sinsuat.)

According to the poll chief, the Comelec en banc is finalizing the guidelines defining the implications if an area is under Comelec control.

The order will be effective immediately following the issuance of the resolution.

“Hindi sa mananakot kundi para madefine nang maayos ang limitation na pwedeng gawin pag nilagay sa Comelec control ang isang area,” Garcia said.

(We do not want to scare anyone, but we want to specify the limitations of Comelec control in the resolution.)

On March 26, Datu Odin Sinsuat election officer Atty. Maceda Abo and her husband died after unidentified gunmen fired shots at their vehicle as they were traversing the Cotabato-Sharrif Aguak Road in Barangay Makir.

Garcia earlier said he would personally recommend placing Datu Odin Sinsuat under Comelec control following the fatal incident. However, some of the personnel of the poll body suggested placing Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur under Comelec control amid reports of violence in the provinces ahead of Eleksyon 2025.  —VBL, GMA Integrated News

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