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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Poll body places Buluan, Maguindanao del sur under Comelec control

Poll body places Buluan, Maguindanao del sur under Comelec control

Published Apr 15, 2025 07:46 am

At A Glance

  • Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia announced on Tuesday, April 15, that they have placed Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur under Comelec control.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia announced on Tuesday, April 15, that they have placed Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur under Comelec control.

comelec.jpg
Commission on Elections

"The Comelec En Banc is now placing Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur under Comelec control," he told reporters in an interview.

"Base sa report ng ating Philippine National Police (PNP), AFP kasama na rin po yung Comelec regional, ay talagang tumataas ang bilang ng mga insidente ng karahasan diyan na ito ay macoconsider natin na election-related (Based on the report from our Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and also the regional Comelec, the number of violent incidents there is indeed increasing, and we can consider these as election-related)," he added.

According to Garcia, there have been several ambush incidents there in recent times and while they were in Cotabato City, one of the photos shown to them was of an ambush involving a candidate who was also an incumbent local official. This was followed by several more similar incidents.

"Kung kaya naniniwala tayo na kinakailangan ilagay sa Comelec control ang lugar upang mapigilan ang ganitong klase ng pagdanak dugo diyan sa area ("That’s why we believe the area needs to be placed under Comelec control to prevent this kind of bloodshed from happening there)," he said.

"Lalo na't may nadadamay na mga sibilyan o hindi naman talaga mga kumakandidato o miyembro ng kahit anong grupong politikal ("Especially since civilians—those who are not even candidates or members of any political group—are getting caught in the crossfire)," he added.

Garcia also disclosed that Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, who chairs the Gun Ban and Security Concerns Committee made a request to PNP Chief Gen. Romell Marbil to relieve three high-ranking police officials.

They are:

  1. PBGen. Romeo J. Macapaz
    Police Regional Director, PRO-BAR
  2. PCol Eleuterio M. Ricardo Jr,
    Police Provincial Director, Maguindanao del Norte
  3. PCol. Ryan Bobby C. Paloma
    Police Provincial Director, Maguindanao del Sur

Ferolino stated in a memorandum dated April 15, that this request is due to their continued failure to act promptly on security detail requests from Comelec's field personnel.

"I cannot allow another field officer or employee to suffer harm or worse, lose their life because of the gross negligence and incompetence of those entrusted with their protection," she said.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 11067, when 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.

The poll body may place certain areas in the country under Comelec control address security threats, mitigate risks of violence or unrest, and uphold the integrity of the electoral process. Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur is the second area to be placed under Comelec control. The first one was Datu Odin Sinsuat where an election officer and her husband were killed.

Related Tags

Maguindanao del Sur comelec chairman george erwin garcia Matalinong boto 2025 Commission on Elections (Comelec) comelec control
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