COTABATO CITY – Grenade attacks, harassment and intimidation marred Monday Bangsamoro plebiscite in the Muslim autonomous region in southern Philippines.
A grenade exploded outside the house of a judge in Cotabato City in Maguindanao province, and another was lobbed, but did not go off on the roof.
Reports said the judge was allegedly a known critic of the Bangsamoro Organic Law or BOL, but police said the attack which occurred ahead of the referendum may also be connected to his work.
And a third grenade in front of a polling precinct was also detonated by soldiers in Cotabato, whose mayor, Cynthia Sayadi, led residents in opposing the city’s inclusion to the proposed Bangsamoro region which would be run by the rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front or MILF if the new organic law is ratified.
No individual or group claimed responsibility for the attacks, but authorities are holding a member of the MILF Mohalidin Usman after he was linked to the deadly New Year’s Eve bombing outside the South Seas Mall in Cotabato.
He was arrested inside the compound Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao during President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit in Cotabato City on January 18. The 25-year old man, according to authorities, is a member of the pro-ISIS group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which broke away with the MILF. Usman’s family denied all the accusations against the suspected bomber.
Several men, believed to be illegal or so-called “flying” voters, were also mauled outside a polling area in Cotabato after being caught by vigilant residents trying to cast their votes. At least 5 dozen teachers also did not report for election duty after receiving cell phone messages threatening them with harm should they go to work.
Murad Ebrahim
Murad Ebrahim, the MILF chieftain, cast his vote at the Simuay Junction Central Elementary School in Darapanan in Maguindanao’s Sultan Kudarat town, a stronghold of the rebel group. Supporters took turns in shaking his hands as they greeted him, who arrived with a group of bodyguards.
The 71-year old rebel leader said it was his first time to vote and that he was happy and enthusiastic. “As a revolutionary, we are prepared for whatever scenario, as long as the democratic processes is conducted in good manner, without intimidation, without cheating, we are determine to accept whatever is the result (of the plebiscite).”
“Now if when and if BOL will not be ratified, then we will continue to struggle until the (peace) agreement is implemented. It is the duty of the government to implement the agreement. We are only a partner, but the main responsibility is with the government, they have to implement the agreement,” Ebrahim said.
NO TO BOL
Cotabato City, along with Isabela City in Basilan province; and Sulu and North Cotabato provinces strongly opposed to be part of the new Bangsamoro region.
In Isabela City, a pregnant woman sought police help after a man grabbed her ballot and tore it to pieces inside a polling precinct. She said the man was angered by her rejection of the BOL. The still unidentified man escaped after the incident.
Referendum in Sulu’s 19 municipalities were peaceful, according to authorities, saying, there were no untoward incidents.
Sulu Governor Toto filed a petition with the Supreme Court questioning the legality and constitutionality of the organic law. And the Philippine Constitution Association or PHILCONSA filed also filed a separate petition with the Supreme Court to declare the organic law as unconstitutional, null and void.
Both petitions questioned the creation of a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region or BAR to replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which is composed of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao.
Constitutional framers argued the 1987 Constitution only recognizes one autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao. The creation of a Bangsamoro political entity is contrary to the Constitution which created only provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays, and autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and the Cordilleras, according to PHILCONSA.
“When R.A. 11054 abolished the ARMM and created the BARMM, a new and distinct territorial and political subdivision in lieu thereof, without first amending the Constitution, respondent’s legislative and executive departments violated and/or amended Sec. 1, Art. X of the Constitution, without jurisdiction or authority, with grave abuse of discretion tantamount to lack of and/or in excess of jurisdictions.”
“The legislative and the executive departments, creations of the Constitution, must observe and stand beside the Constitution and not act above, defy or supplant it,” PHILCONSA said.
Peaceful, Respect Outcome
Rey Sumalipao, election regional director, said the conduct of the plebiscite is peaceful. “The plebiscite is peaceful, it is really peaceful,” he said.
Salvador Panelo, the Presidential spokesman, said Duterte would respect whatever the result of the plebiscite will be. “The President would respect whatever decision the public makes during the plebiscite and comply with the sovereign voice of the people in Mindanao.”
“We are hopeful that the BOL, which would pave the way for a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, would be ratified. The President has already urged the voters to vote yes for peace and development in Mindanao,” he said.
The Commission on Elections said the total number of registered voters in the ARMM plebiscite is 1,980,441 and 71,124 in Isabela City, and 113,751 in Cotabato City. Another referendum is set on February 6 for Lanao del Sur with 352,494 registered voters and North Cotabato with 286,867 voters.
Plebiscite updates were not available on the website of the poll body. The website https://www.comelec.gov.ph/ cannot be accessed as of press time. It was unclear if it was hacked or not, but it showed a notice, saying, “Web server is down.”
MILF
The plebiscite is a result of the March 2014 interim peace deal between the MILF and Manila. The rebel group vowed to surrender a third of its huge weapons stockpiles if the organic law is ratified.
Rebel forces have tripled if not doubled due to its massive recruitment in the South taking advantage of the peace talks with the Filipino government at the time of then President Benigno Aquino and now President Rodrigo Duterte.
It now boasts of heavy armaments, including anti-aircraft machine guns, B40 anti-tank rockets, mortars and assorted high-powered rifles, and an army of civilian supporters, many of them counting on the prospects of better life with the new Bangsamoro region under the MILF rule.
For his part, Ebrahim said the decommissioning of weapons is part of the accord and vowed to implement it. “The decommissioning process is part of the agreement and as part of agreement, we are bound to implement our side. And we assure the people and the government that once the process will be implemented as a condition for the decommissioning then we will immediately undergo decommissioning (process). Our fighters are already well aware of this and they have expressed their full support for the decommissioning process,” he said.
MNLF
Ebrahim’s group originally was part of the Moro National Liberation Front under Nur Misuari, but broke away in the late 1970s, and fought the democratic government for the establishment of a separate Muslim homeland.
Misuari eventually signed a peace agreement with Manila in September 1996 and after the accord agreement was signed, he became the governor of the Muslim autonomous region. But despite the peace accord, there was a widespread disillusionment with the weak autonomy they were granted.
Under the peace agreement, Manila would have to provide a mini-Marshal Plan to spur economic development in Muslim areas in the south and livelihood and housing assistance to tens of thousands of former rebels to uplift their poor living standards.
In 2001, Misuari’s loyal forces and former rebels who joined the Philippine Army following the September 1996 peace accord, attacked a key military base in Jolo town and civilian targets in Zamboanga City in an effort to stop the government from calling an election in the ARMM.
Misuari then escaped by boat to Malaysia, where he had been arrested and deported to the Philippines and was eventually pardoned and released by then President Gloria Arroyo in exchange for MNLF support to her election bid as well as her allies in the Senate and Congress in 2004. He also ran thrice for governor in Sulu even while under detention, but lost miserably.
Now, when Duterte became president, he ordered police and military not to arrest Misuari – his friend and political ally – saying he would talk peace with the MNLF, and even invited the former Libyan firebrand in the Presidential Palace to talk about peace. (Mindanao Examiner)
