Comelec: Arson cause of fire in 2 Maguindanao schools

The fires that hit separate schools in Maguindanao which will be used as polling places for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) were set deliberately, Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia said Sunday.

Garcia said there were actually three separate fire incidents that happened in Mindanao on Saturday or two days before the October 30 BSKE.

These were located in schools in Barangay Ruminimbang, Barira in Maguindanao del Norte; Barangay Poblacion, Dalican, Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao del Sur; and Barangay Old Poblacion, Poona Piagapo in Lanao Del Norte.

“‘Yung dalawang Maguindanao, lumalabas talaga na ‘yan ay arson. Ibig sabihin, sinadya talaga ‘yan. Dito sa Lanao del Norte, pinag-iimbestigahan pa dahil mukhang lumalabas naman na electrical connection ang problema do’n,” Garcia said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(The fires in two Maguindanao schools turned out to be due to arson. These were deliberately set. The one in Lanao del Norte on the other hand is still being investigated because it appears that the problem there was an electrical connection.)

He, however, stressed that the areas affected by the fire were not the ones that will be actually used as voting centers.

“Ang naging maganda lang doon sa pangit na balitang ‘yan, ay dahil itong mga nasunog na ito, hindi po ‘yun ang lugar kung saan iho-hold ‘yung mismong pagboto. Ibig sabihin doon sa compound ng eskwelahan, nagkamali ang nagsunog. Akala siguro ‘yun ang lugar kung saan boboto ang mga kababayan natin,” Garcia added.

(The only good thing about that bad news is that the areas caught in fire will not be used for voting. The person who set the fire was mistaken in the school compound and maybe thought that our countrymen will vote in those areas.) 

Despite the fire incidents, Garcia reiterated that elections in the three areas will push through.

"Itutuloy at itutuloy pa rin ng mga kababayan natin ang pagboto sa lugar na 'yan. Hindi tayo magpapakatakot sa mga gumagawa ng masasamang krimen na 'yan," he said.

(Our countrymen will continue to vote in those area. We will not be intimidated by those who commit those heinous crimes.)

The poll chairman said Saturday that no election paraphernalia were destroyed during the incidents. Presence and number of our security forces will also be increased in the affected areas.

The BSKE will be held on October 30 from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

A total of 294,007 Sangguniang Barangay seats will be up for grabs and 295,007 Sangguniang Kabataan posts to be filled. Meanwhile, there are 42,001 barangays in the Philippines, the same number of posts for barangay and SK chairpersons. —KG, GMA Integrated News