Police step in as poll watchers in some Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur towns

Uniformed personnel are set to step in as poll watchers in some towns in Lanao del Sur and in Maguindanao del Sur, after tensions in the areas caused teachers to back out as part of the electoral board for the national and local elections.

Over 800 police from Luzon are set to man the polling center in Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur, one of the two places in the country under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“Before kasi, hindi pa nag-declare ng Comelec control, 80% na ng mga electoral board nag-inhibit na. PNP na lang po 100% ang magse-serve as special electoral boards,” Maguindanao del Sur election supervisor Allan Kandon said in Jun Veneracion's report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

(Before even declaring Comelec control, 80% of the electoral boards have already inhibited. We will instead have the PNP to 100% serve as special electoral boards.)

The area, along with Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao del Norte, was declared under Comelec control ahead of Eleksyon 2025 due to reported incidents of violence in the municipalities.

Under Comelec control, the poll body will have immediate and direct control and supervision over the national and local officials and employees, and over all national and local law enforcement agencies.

“Ito ay para sa seguridad ng lahat. Safety ‘yung mga tao natin, safety sila na magbilang, safety lahat ng tao. We are not discounting the possibility na marami pong nasa paligid nila, nakapaligid sa atin, so hindi natin alam kung anong mangyayari,” Bangsamoro Autonomous Region regional director Police Brigadier General Romeo Macapa said in the same report.

(This is for the security of all—safety of our people, safety during the counting, safety of all the people. We are not discounting the possibility that there are a lot around the area, surrounding us, so we do not know what will happen.)

The Comelec has also approved the transfer of the canvassing of the provincial board of canvassers into the 6th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army in Datu Sinsuwat instead of the capitol in Buluan.

Soldiers over the weekend conducted clearing operations ahead of the polls on Monday, where authorities recovered firearms such as machine guns and rifles in Datu Abdullah Sangki.

Lanao del Sur

A mix of police, including the PNP’s Special Action Force (SAF), and teachers will serve as the electoral board in several municipalities in Lanao del Sur, where uniformed personnel have already tightened security.

The police will take over as poll watchers in Butig, a previous spot of the leaders of the Maute Group, as teachers have backed out due to tensions. They will also be taking over in four other municipalities in Lanao del Sur.

“Bumoto lang po tayo nang maayos. ‘Wag tayo matakot na lumabas. Naka-set-up na po ‘yung ating security diyan, and we are certain ‘yung ating mga kababayan ay protektahan po natin para makaboto,” 103rd Infantry Brigade commanding general Brigadier General Billy Dela Rosa said in Chino Gaston's report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

(Let us just vote properly. Do not be afraid to go out. Security has already been set up, and we are certain that we will protect our countrymen for them to be able to vote.)

In February the Comelec removed over 1,700 names in the voting list of the area, as they were found to be fictitious or fake. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA Integrated News

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