BOL educational campaign of 6th ID is strictly neutral

MAGUINDANAO --- The military will educate voters on the Bangsamoro Organic Law but not campaign for either an affirmative or negative vote during the January 21 plebiscite that would seal its fate.Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana of the Army’s 6thInfantry Division said Wednesday all of their units in central Mindanao will either directly embark on educational forums or extend manpower support to dialogues on the intricacies of the BBL but on a strictly neutral position. It’s up to the voters to decide during the January 21 referendum, Sobejana said during Wednesday’s meeting of the inter-agency Maguindanao provincial peace and order council, or PPOC, in Buluan town.The meeting was jointly presided over by Sobejana and Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, chairperson of the PPOC that supports Malacañang’s peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.During the PPOC meeting, Mangudadatu committed anew to extend interventions that could hasten efforts of the 6thID and all peace advocacy blocs to educate the public on how BOL can end decades of secessionist strife in southern provinces.Mangudadatu told Sobejana he can speak in dialogues on the benefits of the BOL since he is not seeking reelection being in his third and last term now as Maguindanao governor.Aspirants for various local elective positions are to file their certificates of candidacy in November, a requisite for the May 2019 elections. Politically I don’t have any plan yet for now. I’m busy uniting our political leaders in the province for the good of the peace process. Leaders in Maguindanao support the peace process. We have to remain solidly together on that, Mangudadatu said.The PPOC meeting on Wednesday was attended by mayors from across Maguindanao, many of them openly campaigning for BOL, a product of 19 years of peace talks between the government and the MILF.Provincial officials of the Commission on Elections, Superintendent Edwin Wagan of the Maguindanao police command and brigade commanders of Army and Marine units in central Mindanao were also present in the meeting.The BOL, ratified recently by the bicameral committee of the House of Representatives and the Senate, is the enabling measure for the replacement of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with a more empowered Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, or BARMM.The transition from ARMM to BARMM shall be facilitated jointly by the MILF-led Bangsamoro Transition Authority and the incumbent chief executive of the autonomous region, the now second-termer Gov. Mujiv Hataman.Hataman has also been actively campaigning for a yes vote for the BOL during next year’s plebiscite in ARMM’s five provinces.The Comelec will also administer the plebiscite in Isabela City in Basilan, in Cotabato City and in parts of Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato, all outside of ARMM.The ARMM, which has a regional charter, the Republic Act 9054, groups together Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, both in mainland Mindanao, and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.Sobejana clarified to reporters that 6thID has to be neutral on the BOL in keeping with the mandate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to protect and serve all communities, regardless of religions, ethnicity and political beliefs. Even then, we are for the peaceful resolution of the Mindanao Moro issue. Soldiers bleed and even die in armed conflicts. For us, use of force in addressing a security problem is always a last option, said Sobejana, who belong to the Class 87 of the Philippine Military Academy.