Over 800K Maguindanaons set to vote Saturday on dividing Maguindanao into 2 provinces — Comelec

A total of 818,790 registered voters in Maguindanao are set to decide whether to ratify the law splitting the province into two this Saturday, September 17, the Commission on Elections said Thursday.

"We have 818,790 registered voters, involving 508 barangays. We have 1,669 clustered precincts, divided into 467 voting centers," Comelec acting spokesperson Atty. John Rex Laudiangco said at a press briefing.

To ensure peaceful and orderly conduct of the plebiscite, Comelec Deputy Executive Director for Operations Teopisto Elnas Jr. said the Philippine National Police will deploy at least two of its personnel per voting center, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines will deploy 2,961 personnel for assistance.

Elnas said 5,718 public school teachers will fill up the clustered precincts that will function for the plebiscite.

Voting will be from 7 a.m. up to 3 p.m.

"If there are still voters within the 30-meter radius at the strike of three o'clock in the afternoon, we will still allow them to vote," Elnas said, adding that as a procedure, late voters will have their names listed then will be called individually to vote.

"Our objective is for all voters to vote. Otherwise it will be tantamount to disenfranchisement of voters," Elnas said.

The plebiscite will be conducted manually.

Under Republic Act 11550, or the law dividing the province of Maguindanao into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, the two provinces will be created upon approval by the majority of the votes cast by the voters of the affected areas in a plebiscite to be conducted and supervised by the Comelec within 90 days from the date of the effectivity of the law.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the law on May 27, 2021.

"Ready na tayo (We are ready) for the plebiscite that we will be conducting in Maguindanao," Commissioner Aimee Ferolino said.

"All needed supplies and paraphernalias are already distributed in the field. All personnel have been trained... all field officers are ready," she added.

Ferolino said the Comelec looks forward that the voter turnout will be similar or higher for the plebiscite in Maguindanao, to that of more than 56% voter turn out for the plebiscite in Calaca, Batangas.

She said the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are "on top of the situation" as they conducted regular security and threat assessment, given that Maguindanao is known for "some untoward incidents" in the previous elections. — RSJ, GMA News