Bangsamoro Region ''under control'' as filing of certificate of candidacy nears
There will be no additional forces that will be deployed in Bangsamoro Region during the filing of the certificate of candidacy (COC) in November as the situation in the area is still "under control" and there is no indication of massive violence and terrorism, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Friday.
In a forum in Manila, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said deployment of an excessive number of forces in Bangsamoro for the filing of COC from November 4 to 9 is creating a stigma that the region is chaotic.
"That is why we are moving the filing. We are hoping that the possible threat in the peace and order situation area will be addressed... On October 1 to 8, in Sulu they can still file for governor, vice governor up to Sangguniang Bayan, while there will be no filing for the parliament district and political party so we didn't see any problem on the filing period of candidacy," he said.
"Everything is normal, the filing. We don't even transfer the location for the filing of the COC. We will also not deploy many (Philippine National Police) PNP or AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippine personnel) because it will create that kind of (belief) that the forces is too much just for the filing (of COC) what more during the election, so again we will have additional forces there in Bangsamoro Region," he said.
Garcia noted that although there are people from Sulu who opposed the Supreme Court decision to exclude Sulu from Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and despite the possible challenges that usually occur in Mindanao like the violence and terrorism, he assure that the situation in the area is normal and "under control".
"Of course, there are challenges in BARMM. Let's face it, it's a traditional politician, political families versus the Bangsamoro. That's one thing. It's the first time that there will be a battle like this in the election," he said.
"The challenges there are still the same, massive violence, terrorism, that can happen. But now, so far, the situation is under control. It's okay. There are no such indications yet because it looks like there will be discussions to decide who will run and who will not. As for us, we're just preparing," he said.
Due to the outcome of 2019 plebiscite where 54 percent of voters from Sulu rejected the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), the Supreme Court issued on September 9 a decision declaring the removal of the province from the Bangsamoro region. Robina Asido/DMS
