‘Extremist’ threats not enough to disrupt Lanao elections in May – poll exec

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Despite reports of threats from extremists, particularly in Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte, a Commission on Elections official expressed confidence that elections in the two Lanao provinces would go on in May.

Joseph Hamilton Cuevas, who was Lanao del Norte election officer for 11 years from 2004 and now the provincial election officer of Misamis Oriental, said the recent violence in Butig, Lanao del Sur and the reported threats on members of the Ulama League in the two Lanao provinces would not cause the failure of elections in Lanao del Norte.

Recently, the military battled a group led by the Maute brothers, who were said to have been inspired by the extremism of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Fleeing gunmen were reported to have sought refuge in the boundaries of the two provinces.

Members of the moderate Ulama League, meanwhile, disclosed they have been threatened with harm by extremists because of their criticisms of jihadists and Islamists.

Cuevas said these developments would not likely cause failure of elections, specifically in Lanao del Norte.

He said the increased presence of the military in the province would be enough to deter efforts to sabotage the elections. Cuevas said to date, the Army has deployed two mechanized battalions and two infantry battalions in Lanao del Norte.

The Comelec, in coordination with state security forces, is “ready for any contingency,” according to Cuevas.

“Lanao del Norte is very secure. I don’t believe that there will be failure [of elections there this May],” he said.

The poll body has considered the Lanao del Norte municipalities of Nunungan, Pantar, Tagoloan, Kauswagan as areas of concern, not because of threats from extremists, but because of past experiences about the intensity of political conflicts there, Cuevas said.

In his present post, Cuevas said the town of Claveria and the city of Gingoog have been considered as areas of concern due to the presence of the New People’s Army (NPA).  SFM