Central Mindanao military on red alert ahead of elections

DATU ODIN SINSUAT, Maguindanao — The military has placed all its units in Central Mindanao on red alert Saturday, two days before Monday’s holding of national and local elections, citing there are groups planning to sabotage the electoral process.

“We are on red alert. We have alerted all our units on the ground,” Captain Joan Petinglay, spokesperson for the military’s 6th Division, told the Inquirer.

At least 10 towns — President Quirino, Bagumbayan, Isulan, Senator Ninoy Aquino, Columbio, Lebak, Kalamansig and Palimbang in Sultan Kudarat, and Glan and Kiamba in Sarangani, have been declared by the Commission on Elections as “areas of concern.”
Petinglay said the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) remains a primary threat in the holding of polls.

“The BIFF, we know they are not joining the polls. So they might hamper electoral process. They may not want the election to push through in their areas. We are looking at it,” Petinglay said.

“Another would-be, based on historical data, there had been previous clan wars or rido existing in our areas,” she added.

Petinglay assured the safety of residents who would go out on Monday to vote, adding soldiers in conflict areas will be deployed 50-meters from the polling centers.

“We, along with the police, are prepared to react if there’s a threat. Regardless of who they are,” she said.

Lawyer Francisco Pobe, Comelec-Central Mindanao director, said their action placing 10 towns under areas of concerns was based on the results of the joint assessment conducted by police and military regarding the security situation.