ni Lolet Abania | April 26, 2022
Inianunsiyo ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) ngayong Martes na inilagay ang Marawi City at pitong iba pang munisipalidad sa Mindanao sa ilalim ng kanilang kontrol, batay sa rekomendasyon mula sa security forces ng gobyerno.
Labintatlong araw bago ang May 9 elections, inilagay sa ilalim ng Comelec control ang walong sumusunod na lugar sa Mindanao:
Sa Maguindanao:
• Buluan
• Datu Odin Sinsuat
• Datu Piang
• Mangudadatu
• Pandag
• Sultan Kudarat
Sa Lanao del Sur
• Marawi City
• Maguing
Ang Marawi City ay tinaguriang “ground zero” dahil sa 5-buwang mahabang labanan sa pagitan ng government security forces at ng ISIS-linked Maute group.
“Upon the joint recommendation of the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines and Regional Election Director Ray Sumalipao, the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC) placed [has placed these areas] under COMELEC control,” saad ni Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan sa isang statement.
Una na ring isinailalim ng Comelec sa kanilang kontrol ang bayan ng Tubaran at Malabang sa Lanao del Sur.
Sa Comelec Resolution No. 10757, nakasaad na ang isang lugar ay maaaring isailalim sa Comelec control batay sa sumusunod na mga pangyayari:
• History of/or current intense rivalry among contending parties. Such rivalries could motivate people to engage in violent acts;
• Incidents of politically-motivated violence involving aspirants/candidates and other supporters;
• Violence may be facilitated by the employment of Private Armed Groups (PAGs); and
• Serious armed threats posed by the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs), & other threat groups including BIFFs, Abu Sayyaf Group, Maute Group, & other analogous threat groups as may be declared by the competent authority or other paramilitary forces, private armies or identifiable armed bands widely perceived to have committed terrorism, fraud or other election irregularities and threaten or disrupt the holding of free, peaceful, honest, orderly, & credible elections in any political division, subdivision, unit or area.
Ayon pa sa Comelec, na-identify na rin nila ang 104 “areas of election concern” sa buong bansa, subalit hindi pa muna nila ilalabas kung saan naka-pending para sa anila, “monitoring".
Comments