The second round of the plebiscite to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law will push through on Feb. 6 as scheduled despite the bombing of a Catholic church in Jolo on Sunday, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday.
“That has not been discussed. It is not being discussed. It is not being considered,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said when asked if the vote would be deferred.
Read: Jolo blasts: 20 dead, 81 hurt
“We will prepare as normal. If anything, the police will probably be on greater watchfulness,” he said.
The Feb. 6 plebiscite will cover the six municipalities of Lanao del Norte: Baloi, Munai, Nunungan, Pantar, Tagaloan and Tangkall, and 39 barangays of North Cotabato in the municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Cabacan, Midsayap, Pigkawayan, and Pikit.
The first round of the plebiscite was held Jan. 21, covering the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Cotabato City and Isabela City in Basilan.
The “yes” vote prevailed overwhelmingly.
Sulu province, which voted “no,” will still be included in the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao because it is part of the ARMM. On the other hand, Isabela City, which also voted “no,” will remain in Region IX.
READ: BOL ratified: 'yes' is for peace, unity—MILF
Following the deadly blast in Jolo, Sulu that left 20 people dead and scores wounded Sunday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it would take “extra precautionary round of the BOL plebiscite.
“We will take extra precautionary measures in the advent of the Jolo incident. Meanwhile, our troops are advised to be always on the alert for any changes in the security protocols to anticipate the fluid situation. All other security arrangements stay the same,” AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato on Monday said in a text message.
The military has allocated some 10,000 troops and support units to help secure the plebiscite, along with the Philippine National Police.
A leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, meanwhile, dismissed talk that it or any other “revolutionary group” was behind the Jolo blast.
“Let us wait for the final result of the investigation by the government because to conclude at this time who did it is speculation,” said MILF vice chairman Ghazali Jaafar.
“No revolutionary group or members of a true revolutionary organization will do that because when you plant bomb in the middle of a population, there will be victims—some will die, some will get wounded, but who knows if those who will die or be wounded are your relatives and friends and many supporters,” he said in an interview with ANC’s Early Edition.
Experts voiced concern on Monday over the impact the attack would have on a decades-long push for peace that culminated last week in voters approving expanded Muslim self-rule in the south.
“This is a big challenge for the Bangsamoro government,” said Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research.
The former rebels need to show they will be able to pull the region toward peace in order to attract much-needed investment to alleviate poverty and counter extremism, he said.
“MILF needs to prove it can make a difference… the gravity of the problem faced by MILF is wow, so overwhelming,” he added.
