1Bangsa presses Comelec to act on complaint vs Unabia
Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila. INQUIRER FILES
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The One Bangsamoro Movement (1Bangsa) is not yet done with Misamis Oriental Gov. Peter “Sr. Pedro” Unabia.
The group and allied Muslim organizations urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to act swiftly on the verified intervention they earlier filed before the poll body, seeking the motu proprio filing of a complaint for election offense and a petition for the disqualification of the reelectionist governor from the electoral race.
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“We are deeply alarmed by actions that erode that foundation not only by Gov. Unabia’s reckless invocation of religious identity for political gain but also by the alleged rampant vote buying, undermining the sanctity of elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” wrote Maulana “Alan” A. Balangi, national president of 1Bangsa, in an emailed open letter to the Comelec on Sunday, April 27.
The group said the alleged offenses “strike at the very heart of the Filipino people’s trust” and called on Comelec to resolve its intervention with urgency and expedite all pending disqualification cases involving electoral offenses in Barmm.
“Every moment of delay emboldens those who believe public office is a prize for sale and that the Muslim vote is a commodity to be bought,” Balangi wrote.
1Bangsa stressed that the Bangsamoro people fought hard for the right to fair democratic participation, and that the Muslim vote must be protected — “not bought, not threatened, and never silenced.”
The group also urged all Filipino citizens to stay vigilant.
“Defending democracy demands more than voting; it requires standing firm against any attempt to cheapen our collective voice,” 1Bangsa’s open letter reads in part.
Balangi added that “the nation is watching.”
“We trust that you will rise to this moment and reaffirm that in our beloved Philippines, democracy cannot and will not be bought, rigged, or stolen,” he said.
The group’s petition stemmed from Unabia’s campaign speech in Balingoan town on April 1, warning voters that if his slate and local allies were defeated in the May 12 midterm elections, their localities risked being dominated by Maranaos that could pave the way for politicians from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to replace their mayors by the next electoral cycle.
Unabia also said that in such a scenario, the province and this city could suffer from security instability, just like in the BARMM.
His remarks drew flak from various sectors, among them the 1Bangsa, who earlier filed a verified intervention before the Comelec, seeking sanctions against the reelectionist governor over his inflammatory remarks against the Moro people.
