DAVAO CITY – Maguindanao del Sur Gov. Bai Mariam Mangudadatu has welcomed the Commission on Election’s decision to place Buluan under its control amid the surge in election-related violence less than a month before the May 12 mid-term elections.
MAGUINDANAO del Sur Gov. Bai Mariam Mangudadatu
In a statement, Mangudadatu described Comelec’s decision as a timely and necessary move due to recent alleged election-related incidents.
The governor is hoping that the measure would help restore order and confidence among residents to encourage them to come out and cast their vote without fear.
On Tuesday, April 15, Comelec en banc issued a Resolution No. 11131 placing Buluan under its control.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/4/15/poll-body-places-buluan-maguindanao-del-sur-under-comelec-control
Buluan is the second town in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to be placed under Comelec control.
The first was the town of Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao del Norte due to a series of election-related killings.
The most recent killing in Buluan was the ambush of a 70-year-old Arthur Patrimonio Elecanal, manager of the Agumil Agri-Machinery Company in Buluan. The incident wounded Elecanal’s 66-year-old wife.
Buluan is the seat of government of Maguindanao del Sur.
The Comelec’s move to place the town under its control came two days after a reelectionist candidate for provincial board member of Maguindanao del Sur and his driver were injured in an ambush in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao del Norte.
Police identified the victims as Maguindanao del Sur First District Board Member Datu Baba Omar and his driver Abel Bunsalagat Buisan.
The victims were on board a black Toyota Innova and headed for Datu Odin Sinsuat when they were ambushed by still unidentified gunmen between the boundary of Datu Odin in Maguindanao del Norte and Datu Anggal Midtimbang towns in Maguindanao del Sur.
On March 26, Maceda Abo, Datu Odin Sinsuat election officer, and her husband Jojo, were also killed in an ambush on the Cotabato-Sharrif Aguak Road in Barangay Makir.
Buluan and Datu Odin Sinsuat have been tagged by the Comelec under the Red category, which indicates grave security concerns with combined categories under the Yellow Category and serious armed threats.
Aside from these towns, 28 other municipalities in the BARMM were listed under the Red category. Twenty under the Red category are in Lanao del Sur.