Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia will recommend placing Datu Odin Sinsuat under Comelec control following the death of an election officer and her husband.

Maceda Lidasan-Abo was killed along with her husband Jojo Abo in an ambush on Wednesday morning, March 26.

"Kaya ako mismo ay magre-recommend sa Commission En Banc na ang Datu Odin Sinsuat ay ilagay sa Comelec control. Kasi may mga ilan nang karahasan ang nangyari nitong mga nakaraang linggo at buwan diyan sa lugar na 'yan kaya nararapat lang na mailagay sa Comelec control (I would recommend to the Commission En Banc that Datu Odin Sinsuat be placed under Comelec control. There have been instances of violence in that area over the past weeks and months, so it is only appropriate to place it under Comelec control)," he said.

"Noong araw na pumunta tayo doon, dalawa ang nasawi rin sa area na 'yon. Isang abogado ng isang kandidato sa lugar na 'yon, babae at 'yung kanyang fiancé (On the day we went there, two people also lost their lives in that area. One was a lawyer for a candidate from that place, a woman, along with her fiancé)," he added.

Garcia said that anyone who would look at it would agree that that area should be placed under Comelec control.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 11067, the peace and order situation in the area will affect the conduct of elections, the Commission En Banc may place any political division, subdivision, unit or area affected under its immediate and direct control and supervision.

With this, the Commission shall take immediate and direct control and supervision over all national and local officials and employees required by law to perform duties and/or to comply with certain prohibitions relative to the conduct of the elections in the political division, subdivision, unit or area concerned.

Also, the Commission shall exercise full control and supervision over all national and local law enforcement agencies as well as military officers for the purpose of ensuring the holding of free, peaceful, orderly, honest and credible elections in the political division, subdivision, unit or area concerned.

"Tatandaan po natin, kapag kalaban niyo na ang batas, hindi niyo po 'yan basta-basta maiiwasan (Let us remember that when you are up against the law, you won't easily escape it)," Garcia said.

"Somewhere, someday, justice will be served. Whether it will be the Comelec who will be asking for justice or the ordinary people, justice will be served," he added.