ZAMBOANGA CITY – In the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, there are few signs that elections are just three days away. This, according to election officials, indicates that the situation will not be as volatile or as violent as it was in the past.

This could be attributed to the fact that most, if not all, candidates for ARMM positions were running uncontested, according to Vidzfar Julie, assistant regional director of the Commission on Elections.

Another reason that the election campaign was turning out to be boring, he said, was that many of the candidates are not from the same towns or communities.

Previous elections turned violent because candidates hailed from the same village or town where rivalries were more intense, he said.

There are two candidates running for governor – reelectionist Zaldy Ampatuan, of the administration party, and Julpakar Iribani, from Sulu and said to be protégé of ex-President Joseph Estrada.

Some people said Iribani was not a serious threat to Ampatuan.

The third candidate who could have given Ampatuan serious competition, according to officials, was Alvarez Isnaji, mayor of Indanan, Sulu. But he, and his son Haider, are now in jail after they were linked to the kidnapping of TV journalist Ces Drilon, her cameramen and Prof. Octavio Dinampo.

Campaign materials made of tarpaulin were posted in some areas, announcing candidacies for the regional legislative assembly.

Four candidates are running for three assembly seats allotted for Maguindanao.

A recent Supreme Court decision declaring as unconstitutional the creation of Shariff Kabunsuan as a province killed the election campaign there.

“It’s not hotly contested because we don’t have many candidates for ARMM governor,” said Hatimil Hasan, who is running for an assembly seat in Lamitan, Basilan, under the administration lineup of Ampatuan.

Julie said the “atmosphere is the same” in Sulu.

“We don’t see politicians’ vehicles moving around coupled with loud speakers, soliciting support. It’s because the people know their candidates,” he said.

Julie said despite the dullness of the campaign, more teachers have volunteered for election duty.

At least 29,295 teachers have already volunteered to serve as board of election inspectors [BEIs], “and we keep on receiving more volunteer teachers.”

Twelve foreign observers will be in Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi on election day, said Julie.

At least 15,000 soldiers and policemen will be on duty, primarily to guard the voting machines that would be tested in the ARMM.

“You know how the machines cost? It’s in millions [of pesos],” Julie said. The Comelec paid P650 million for them, he said.

Deputy Director Gen. Emmanuel Carta, head of the National Task Force ARMM Elections, said the PNP has sent more than 6,000 men. The military would deploy three Marine brigades and eight Army battalions for election duty.

Julie said he expects a big turnout from 1,516,259 voters in the region.

Local groups went on with their voter education programs.

Fr. David Procalla, ICC, Central Mindanao coordinator for the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), said his group has not called off activities for voters’ education in preparation for the Aug. 11 elections.

He said the PPCRV was working with volunteers of the Consortium of Citizens’ Action for Reforming the Elections (C-CARE) in other four provinces of the region.

“Until it’s finally cancelled and postponed by Congress, we will not stop preparing through conducting voters’ education,” Procalla said.