Bangsamoro party ready for elections, says MILF

COTABATO CITY, Philippines—The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) declared that the three-day assembly of its political party in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, which ended Thursday, was a huge success despite the death of a 28-year-old woman and the collapse of six others due to heat stroke.

Sammy Al-Mansoor, secretary general of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party, said on Friday that the gathering, which drew more than 100,000 people, was “very successful” and that the UBJP was now “ready to participate in the elections.”

Al-Mansoor said the death of Badria Guiamadel from heat stroke was sad and the MILF has already extended its sympathy to her family.

“We are (also) extending assistance to the family of the victim,” he said.

Six other attendees also collapsed due to the extreme heat inside Camp Darapanan, where the assembly was held. But they had recovered, according to Al-Mansoor.

Al-Mansoor said the UBJP’s first participation in Philippine elections would be for the Bangsamoro government.

“Our first participation will be next year when the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law, once approved by Congress, [is] subjected to a plebiscite,” he said.

Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo said he was praying that peace would finally reign in Mindanao by 2015 with the expected passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

Quevedo said he was also praying that “with the cooperation of the citizenry, our government officials and peace and order officers may at last put an end to criminality and terrorist threats.” Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao