Reforms eyed for BARMM polls amid lessons from midterms
Inquirer files
COTABATO CITY, BARMM, Philippines — Civil society watchdogs monitoring the conduct of the midterm elections on May 12 are eyeing policy reforms relating to how the political exercise is being run in the country.
Lawyer Benedicto Bacani, executive director of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance and lead convener of the Independent Election Monitoring Center (IEMC), said the recent polls provided vital lessons on how the upcoming regional parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) could be run more smoothly and held fairly.
Bacani cited the campaign of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) with the Philippine National Police against vote-buying called “Kontra-Bigay.”
While there were sample cases in other parts of the country on how this was enforced, it would be interesting to see how the campaign could be fully enforced in the BARMM during the regional polls scheduled in October, he said.
Bacani emphasized the need for “proactive and preventive measures,” not just response. “Can we do preventive action by way of policy? We can avoid many problems if we are proactive,” he said.
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“There is a need for urgent proactive measures, including stricter enforcement of the gun ban, enhanced ceasefire mechanisms and reforms to counter the dominance of money and fear politics,” Bacani said.
No failure
Despite widespread vote-buying, disinformation campaigns and threats fueled by loose firearms and organized armed groups, which were mainly recorded by IEMC in the Maguindanao provinces and Lanao del Sur, voters across the BARMM cast their ballots on May 12 in what authorities described as the most peaceful and orderly exercise, so far, in the region’s history.
Election-related violence was notably concentrated in Maguindanao del Sur and Cotabato City, while Lanao del Sur experienced its most peaceful election yet, according to IEMC.
Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Mindanao Command, noted that there was no failure of election in any locality in the BARMM and other areas within its area of responsibility.
He commended government troops “for showing what it means to be defenders not just for the land but for our people’s right to choose their leaders freely.”
Nafarrete attributed the success to how “the political leaders and stakeholders respect the peace covenant signed before the election to prevent further political violence.”
Maj. Gen. Donald Gumiran, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said prepoll activities contributed to the overall peaceful and orderly conduct of the national and local elections in the region.
Forums, peace covenants
Gumiran said the Army held 22 candidates’ forums and peace covenant signing events that helped ease tensions and promote issue-based campaigning.
The augmentation of about 3,000 soldiers also contributed to efforts of the military in ensuring peaceful conduct of political activities.
With their recent experience, Nafarrete is confident that they have gained vital insights on how to make the regional elections in October more peaceful and orderly.
“Despite a few isolated incidents, including reported shootings in certain areas of Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur and Basilan, these events were swiftly addressed and are currently under thorough investigation by law enforcement. Importantly, they did not significantly affect the overall conduct or outcome of the elections,” said Police Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz, BARMM police director.
BARMM election director Ray Sumalipao said the May 12 balloting was generally orderly and peaceful despite minor glitches and security issues.
He said this was one of the most peaceful elections in BARMM, which has been known for its intense political rivalries and violence-ridden balloting. /cb
