New BARMM chief to heed Comelec recommendation on areas under control

New Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) said he would heed the recommendation of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on areas to be placed under the poll body's control ahead of Eleksyon 2025.

Macacua made the remarks as he paid a courtesy call to poll chairperson George Erwin Garcia at the Comelec Office in Intramuros, Manila. 

“If the Comelec and the security sectors recommended…we have no objection if they will deploy some security personnel in the area,” Macacua said. 

At least 38 areas in the country were placed under the “red” category in January this year. Of the figures, the majority were in the Bangsamoro region. 

“Maybe the Comelec can specifically say kung saang areas [ang kailangan bantayan] dahil may color-coding…Kami susunod kami but generally, gagawin namin lahat para maimplement ang fair and honest elections,” Macacua added. 

(Maybe the Comelec can identify the areas that need monitoring, and we will comply with their directive. We will do everything to implement fair and honest elections.)

Garcia said some candidates in Maguindanao provinces are set to sign a peace covenant on Monday, March 17, for the upcoming polls. 

Areas of concern

Comelec resolution No. 11067 states that the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) classify all areas in the country under four categories: green, yellow, orange, and red. 

Areas under the green category are areas with no security concerns or are relatively peaceful and orderly for the conduct of elections. 

Yellow areas have reported suspected election-related incidents in the past two polls, provided there was no participation of domestic terror groups. 

The areas should also be previously declared under Comelec control and report the possible presence of armed groups, and intense political rivalries.

Orange areas should have the combination of two or more factors under the yellow category and should have serious armed threats posed by communist terror groups (CTGs) or other threat groups. 

Red areas meet the parameters for areas under the yellow category and have serious threats posed by CTGs or other threat groups. Security forces will focus on monitoring these areas with the possibility of violence and intense political fights among local candidates. 

Courtesy call

Meanwhile, Garcia said Macacua paid a courtesy visit to the poll body to “guarantee their swift action on the reapportionment of the Sulu parliamentary seats and to discuss the current peace and security situation in the Bangsamoro”. 

“Ang ating chief Minister ang chief of staff ng MILF. Para lang din makita nang lahat na ito ay part ng peace process pa rin kung bakit sya ang natalaga na chief minister ng Bangsamoro,” said Garcia.

(The BARMM chief is the MILF chief of staff. This goes to show that his appointment is part of the peace process.)

Malacañang last week confirmed that Macacua would replace Ahod Ebrahim as BARMM Interim Chief Minister. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his appointment was crucial in continuing the progress in the region.—LDF, GMA Integrated News

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