Albayalde hopes for peaceful midterm polls in Mindanao

May 9, 2019

Philippine National Police (PNP) General Oscar Albayalde hopes for a peaceful conduct of midterm elections in Mindanao with the passage of Bangsamoro Organic Law.

“Actually we are very optimistic to have a peaceful elections because of the BOL… we are optimistic that we will be having a peaceful, orderly elections here in Mindanao,” Albayalde said during his visit in General Santos on Thursday.

The PNP chief said there are no reported major incidents in the area unlike in Luzon and Visayas.

“As of this time we have not received any reports of any group we may create trouble although we have reports of intense rivalry… Just the usual allegations, some verbal allegations only,” Albayalde said.

“Hopefully as of this time, we still don’t have major incidents here (in Mindanao). What we have is incidents in Luzon and Visayas. Hopefully we can maintain it,” he added.

Albayalde said because of the passage of BOL, different groups in Mindanao are cooperating with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (Opapp).

Since the whole Mindanao is under red category, Albayalde said the Armed Forces of the Philippines ( AFP) have augmented their forces.

“They ( AFP) have additional deployment here in Mindanao and especially on the identified hotspots like Cotabato, Sulu and parts of Zamboanga,” he said.

“We have deployment coming, augmentation from the Special Action Force. And with regards to the strength in the region, almost 2/3 of their strength will be deployed in different polling centers and in critical areas and will be deployed as quick reaction teams together with the AFP,” said Albayalde.

During a plebiscite last January 21 and February 6, majority of voters approved the ratification of the Organic Act for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the expansion of its territory to include Cotabato City and 63 barangays from the province of North Cotabato. Ella Dionisio/DMS