By Ronron
May 26, 2007
A Commission on Election (Comelec) official gave a 75 percent rating for the success of the special elections held Saturday in some towns of Lanao del Sur.
Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, Commissioner-in-charge for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said only 10 of the 13 towns that were set for the conduct of special elections yesterday proceeded completely, while the rest had to be postponed for today (Sunday).
“It’s generally peaceful, thanks to the efforts of everyone. Although, it was not perfect, mea culpa. We’re sorry,” Sarmiento said in a phone interview from Lanao del Sur.
Sarmiento said voting in the municipalities of Lumbatan, Marogong, Kapatagan, Sultan Dumalondong, Lumbayanague, Kapai, Madalum, Masiu, Binidayan and Bayang was completed within the day, despite some security problems in a few areas.
Those in Butig, and in some barangayas in Lumba-Bayabao and Pualas, however, had to be postponed because of some unavoidable circumstances.
Sarmiento said there was no election in the entire town of Butig, which has 53 precincts with 8,564 registered voters, because election inspectors were afraid to report to duty due to threats from rival candidates.
Election in Barangay Maribo, which consists of nine precincts, in Lumba-Bayabao town was likewise deferred for today due to two reasons. Sarmiento said the residents did not troop to the voting centers because they were instructed by the Mayor not to cast their votes. And when the issue was settled, the barangay experienced power failure, making it impossible to proceed with the election.
In Pualas, Sarmiento said five barangays, consisting of 11 precincts, did not have elections because a problem on clustering of precints.
“In these areas where we failed to hold elections today (Saturday), elections will be conducted tomorrow (Sunday),” Sarmiento said.
As to security, Sarmiento said it was “generally peaceful” despite the encounter yesterday morning in Pualas town between Army troopers and an unidentified armed group, leaving a soldier slightly wounded.
“Despite this, the election continued,” Sarmiento said.
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Police Director Chief Supt. Joel Goltiao said only three violent incidents that happened yesterday can be regarded initially as election-related.
“Overall, there is not much fanfare,” Goltiao said in a separate phone interview from Lanao del Sur.
The first incident happened at 8am in Masiu town wherein an armed group fired five 40 millimeter rounds from an M203 grenade launcher. There were no reported casualties and damages from the incident.
Asked in a phone interview if the attack was election-related, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said: “Yes. The attackers are confirmed members of private armed groups.”
Then, at around 8:30 am, a platoon from the Charlie Company of the 5th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army was ambushed by around 50 fully armed men while conducting security operations at Barangay Yaran, Pualas town, said Bacarro.
The government soldiers fought back, resulting in a brief exchange of gunfire that left Corporal Samson Catacutan slightly wounded.
Goltiao said the third incident is another brief encounter between another group of Army troopers and unidentified armed men in Kapai town. No casualties were reported in the incident.
Goltiao said all other reported gun fires from other areas were not cause for alarm because they sound like cheers in support to political candidates. “There are even clapping of hands,” said Goltiao.
He said this could be part of Moslem tradition in expressing their support to candidates.
Both Goltiao and Sarmiento agree that the main threat in the province actually comes from the political candidates themselves.
“If you are in the field, you will see that this is the peculiarity of the situation here. The people are armed,” Sarmiento said.
For today’s special elections in Butig, Sarmiento said members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) will act as election inspectors.
Goltiao said Sarmiento ordered him to prepare around a hundred policemen to serve as election inspectors in Butig.
“For as long as we are ordered by the Comelec…, that is okay. We have no problem with that,” Goltiao said when asked if fielding cops to polling precincts will put them to trouble.
Goltiao disclosed that after the closing of the polling centers at 3pm yesterday, all ballot boxes were transported to the Lanao del Sur Provincial Capitol in Marawi City for the centralized counting of votes.
Asked if they expect more violence as the process continues, Bacarro replied: “Well, we are prepared to thwart that,” noting that the AFP was deputized by the Comelec to take the lead role in securing the special elections in the province.
Voting in the 13 towns, which has a total of 96,460 registered voters, did not proceed during the national election last May 14 after the election inspectors refused to perform their duties because of security threats coming from rival politicians./DMS
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