Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur placed under Comelec control

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) placed Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur under its control amid an increase of incidents of election-related violence in the area ahead of Eleksyon 2025.

According to Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia, this also comes following an ambush attack against a local candidate running for the May elections.

"The Comelec en banc is now placing Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur under Comelec control," Garcia announced Tuesday.

“Base sa report ng ating PNP, AFP, kasama na ang Comelec Regional, talagang tumataas ang insidente ng karahasan sa Buluan na maco-consider natin na election-related,” Garcia said.

(Based on the PNP, and AFP reports, there is an uptick in the incidents of election-related violence in the area.)

The poll body issued Comelec Resolution No. 11131 to formalize the declaration. It also named Commissioner Aimee Ferolino as the commissioner-in-charge of Buluan.

“Kung ano ang mga guidelines natin na-inissue nung nilagay natin ang Datu Odin Sinsuat under Comelec control ay parehas nang ipapatupad na polisiya ng Comelec sa Buluan,” Garcia added.

(We will implement the same guidelines as the ones imposed in Datu Odin Sinsuat.)

A report by GMA Regional TV One Mindanao on Monday said Maguindanao del Sur First District Board Member candidate Muhammad Utti Omar, also known as “Datu Baba” was ambushed in Barangay Brar, Datu Anggal Midtimbang on Sunday, April 13 while traveling from a proclamation rally in Datu Piang. The candidate sustained minor injuries but his driver was injured seriously.

“Naniniwala tayo na kinakailangan ilagay sa Comelec control ang lugar upang mapigilan ang ganitong klase ng pagdanak ng dugo dyan sa area lalo na at may nadadamay na sibilyan at hindi naman talaga kumakandidato o myembro ng politikal,” said Garcia.

(We believe it should be placed under Comelec control to curb these incidences of bloodshed in the area especially when civilians are involved and those who are not candidates or members of political.)

“Ang sa amin, gusto namin na mapigilan agad yan sa paglalagay ng Comelec control upang later on makikita natin kung kinakailanagan ba magdadag ng pwersa o mag-take over ng local government unit (LGU) o dagdagan ang checkpoints dyan sa area,” Garcia said.

(We want to put it under our control as early as now so we can see later on if we need to deploy more personnel, for LGU to take over or add checkpoints in the area.)

Buluan is the second area in the country to be placed under Comelec control ahead of the May polls. It was previously under the “orange” category of the election areas of concern for the upcoming midterm polls.

Early this month, the elections body placed Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte under its control ahead of Eleksyon 2025.

Relief of police personnel

Meanwhile, the Comelec en banc also resolved to note the request of the Gun Ban and Security Concerns (GSC) Committee Commissioner Aimee P. Ferolino to relieve several police personnel in the Bangsamoro Region “due to their continued failure to act promptly on urgent security detail requests from our field personnel, including the request made by Election Officer (EO) Maceda L. Abo as early as January 8, 2025.”

“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,” said Ferolino in her request.

“Furthermore, in December 2024, I requested the PNP to conduct a nationwide Risk and Threat Assessment for all Election Officials and Personnel, to serve as the basis for assigning security during the performance of their duties and to proactively prevent shootings and other acts of violence. A comprehensive report was likewise requested. To date, the Police Regional Office BAR (PRO BAR) has failed to submit a report that adequately responds to this request,” she said.

The following PNP personnel were: PRO BAR Police Regional Director Police Brigadier General Romeo Macapaz, Maguindanao del Norte Police Provincial Director Police Colonel Eleuterio Ricardo Jr., and Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Director Police Colonel Ryan Bobby Paloma.

“The Commission, after due deliberation, resolved, as it hereby resolves, to note the request of Commissioner Aimee P. Ferolino to relieve the following PNP personnel from their respective posts,” the poll body said. — BAP, GMA Integrated News

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