Feb. 6 BOL plebiscite peaceful; blasts did not deter voters

MANILA, Philippines — The second day of the plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) was generally peaceful, and three separate explosions in Lanao del Norte on the eve of the poll did not deter voters, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

“Three separate explosions on the eve of plebiscite day did not discourage voters from trooping to polling centers for the 2nd plebiscite to ratify the historic Bangsamoro Organic Law,” the PNP said in a statement.

According to the PNP, a total of 4,749 polling precincts were open for 352,494 voters in 462 barangays in the 22 municipalities of Lanao del Norte as of 3 p.m., despite explosions in Sultan Naga Dimaporo and in the towns of Kauswagan and Lala on the eve of the plebiscite.

No casualty was reported from the blasts.

Voting in 210 villages in North Cotabato where a similar plebiscite was held started as early as 7 a.m. with 2,054 polling precincts open and 286,867 registered voters, the PNP said. The villages were in the towns of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pigkawayan, and Pikit.

The second day of the plebiscite will determine whether the concerned areas in Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato will be included in the Bangsamoro region after the BOL was deemed ratified on Jan. 21. /ee

READ: Yes votes have it: Law creating Bangsamoro region ratified