119 villages in Maguindanao under election close watch

BULUAN, Maguindanao – At least 119 of the 508 villages in this province are under close watch by authorities in relation to concerns for peaceful and orderly conduct of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataaan Elections (BSKE) on May 14.This was announced by lawyer Udtog Tago, provincial election supervisor, at the joint meeting here on Tuesday of the provincial peace and order council (PPOC), provincial development council (PDC) and provincial anti-drug abuse council (PADAC) presided over by Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, chair of all three councils.Tago said the 119 villages are classified under high-level watch due to perceived intense contests among candidates for chairpersons and councilmen or kagawads either in barangay or SK offices in 21 of the 36 towns in Maguindanao.The 21 towns with highly contested barangays incluide Gen. SK Pendatun (9), Datu Piang (2) Datu Paglas (11), Talayan (4), Datu Blah Sinsuat (3), Pagalungan (6), Pagagawan (4), Matanog (6), Northern Kabuntalan (8), Midtimbang (1), Buldon (6), Paglat (7), Datu Abdullah Sanki (6) Sultan-Sa-Barongis (8), Mamasapano (2), Datu Unsay (5), Ampatuan (4), Datu Salibo (6), Parang (9), Talitay (7), and Rajah Buayaan (5).The 119 villages are apparently among the 832 barangays in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) jointly classified under closer watch on May 14 electoral exercises by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Philippine of National Police (PNP). ARMM, which covers five provinces and two cities including Maguindanao, has 2,490barangays.Interviewed by reporters at the PPOC-PDC-PADAC meeting here, Senior Supt. Edwin Wagan, provincial police director, said the Comelec had trained cops in Maguindanao to act as members of board of election tellers (BETs) in villages where teachers would to refuse serve on May 14 for various reasons, mostly concerning security to relationship with candidates.But Wagan explained not all the 119 villages will be automatically deployed with cops acting as BTE members, saying that only those barangays requesting for police personnel as poll workers will have such arrangement.Of the 21 Maguindanao towns mentioned in the Comelec report, only Talitay municipality has requested for police BTEs, which Gen. S.K. Pendatun and South Upi towns might make similar request, Wagan said. Officials of Army brigades and battalions serving Maguindanao attended Tuesday’s meeting, expressing readiness to assist for peaceful and orderly BSKE exercises in the province.Lt. Col. Edgar Catu, commander of the Army’s 40thInfantry Battalion, showed to journalists photos of some paddles his command fabricated for use against individuals caught erring on May 14 polling, instead of guns.At Tuesday’s meeting, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) officials said Maguindanao has steadily gained momentum in the anti-illegal drug campaign, posting 159 drug-cleared barangays and 15 drug-free barangays.Gov. Mangudadatu, citing report about six barangays perceived to have incidence of narcotics use or trade, said the electorate should elect village leaders therein who are well-meaning. In general, we expect a peaceful electoral exercises come May 14 because of military and police assistance coupled with growing residents’ voluntarism against criminalities, Mangudadatu told reporters, even as he projected at least 75 to 80 percent voters’ turnout on BSKE day. (Ali G. Macabalang)