The military in North Cotabato and Lanao Del Sur provinces are ready for any eventuality on Wednesday, February 6, when voters head to their precincts for the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
Major Arvin John Encinas, spokesman of the 6th Infantry Division, told radio dzBB there was no information of any threat on the plebiscite in North Cotabato.
Col. Gerry Besana, the spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, said troops in Lanao Del Norte have contingencies in place to ensure the orderly conduct of the plebiscite.
They made the remarks a week after two explosions rocked the Catholic cathedral in Jolo days after the ratification of the BOL overwhelmingly won in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and other key areas.
Besana said the Westmincom was monitoring the movement of the remnants of the Maute-ISIS group, which remained a threat to some areas and were being pursued by government forces.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) will make all resources related to the BOL available to public.
PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar made this promise, saying it was former Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza who reminded Andanar to ensure that the public, especially Muslim Filipinos, have access to BOL documents.
“Since the BOL was signed by our beloved President Duterte, OPAPP Secretary Jess Dureza and I have talked about disseminating information on the BOL,” Andanar said in an interview over Radyo Pilipinas on Saturday.
“And his request to me was just make all of the government resources available for our Muslim brothers and sisters in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front… because we don’t really want to control or to manage their narrative on the story,” he added.
Andanar pointed out that all state-run media will also do its part in delivering news to better equip the public with knowledge on what is stipulated in the BOL.
“Our duty is to make our resources available for all of them which is again, Radyo Pilipinas, PTV, Philippine News Agency at PIA (Philippine Information Agency),” Andanar said.
Under the government’s Freedom of Information (FOI) program, all executive departments, agencies, bureaus, and offices are required to make public records, contracts, transactions, and any information requested by a member of the public, except for sensitive information and matters affecting national security.
Andanar vowed that PCOO will do its part in ensuring the safety of media personnel during the second plebiscite on the ratification of the BOL, which will take place on Feb. 6 in six Lanao del Norte towns and in 67 villages in North Cotabato.
“We have to cooperate with our government; we have to cooperate with the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines); we cooperate with the Philippine National Police and our local government units. Because this is the surest way that we can ensure safety,” Andanar said. “‹
