The seat of power in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in Cotabato City, 22 September 2021. MindaNews photo by GREGORIO BUENO
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 10 March) – Ninety-nine towns and three cities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are considered election hotspots, according to the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) which held its first meeting this year on Thursday.
Eighteen of these areas are under Red Code (critical), 34 under Orange Code (with presence of armed groups and organized movements), and 50 under Yellow Code (with history of violent incidents).
BGen Arthur Cabalona, BARMM regional police director said the primary reasons for the violent incidents were conflicts between two groups.
The meeting, held at Bajau Hall of the BARMM Government Center, was presided by Interim Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, the RPOC chair. Thirty-eight members of the council attended the meeting either in person or via Zoom.
Ebrahim cited that the May 9 elections will be the first time for members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to exercise their right to suffrage and support its political party, the United Bangsamoro Justice Party.
He urged the military and police to ensure that the people are protected in the exercise of such right.
During the same meeting, lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, RPOC secretary and BARMM spokesperson told the council that the Department of Interior and Local Government national office has formed the task force for the disbandment of private armed groups.
Sinarimbo, also the Interior Minister of BARMM said the disbandment of armed groups is important because it will make it easier to proceed with the decommissioning of MILF fighters.
He noted that MILF fighters would be reluctant to undergo decommissioning if the private armed groups were not disbanded.
At the same time, the military assured residents of Pikit in North Cotabato and areas around Liguasan Marsh in Maguindanao they have nothing to fear despite the presence of more soldiers and policemen in their communities.
MGen Alfredo Rosario, chief of the Western Mindanao Command who attended the RPOC meeting via Zoom, said they launched the operations in these areas in response to the presence of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Dawlah Islamiya.
Rosario said there was no need for civilians to evacuate as ensuring their safety is among their priorities.
Cabalona said he refused to believe that their presence instilled fear, and that it should be the other way around.
He assured that the operations would not lead to the disenfranchisement of voters during election day.
Lawyer Abdul Rashig Kamil, chair of the Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission reported during the meeting that some civilians in the affected areas had voiced apprehensions on the effect of the military and police operations. (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera/MindaNews)
