A TOTAL of six towns in Maguindanao, one city and one municipality in Lanao del Sur was placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In a statement released to media, Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan said the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC) placed the towns of Buluan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Piang, Mangudadatu, Pandag and Sultan Kudarat in the Province of Maguindanao under Comele control upon the joint recommendation of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Regional Election Director Ray Sumalipao.
Also, the City of Marawi City and the town of Maguing both in Lanao del Sur were declared under Comelec control in addition to Tubaran and Malabang towns, the statement further added.
Under Comelec Resolution No. 10757 an area can be put under Comelec control in the following circumstances:
- History of/or current intense rivalry among contending parties. Such rivalries could motivate people to engage in violent acts;
- Incidents of politically-motivated violence involving aspirants/candidates and other supporters;
- Violence may be facilitated by the employment of Private Armed Groups (PAGs); and
- Serious armed threats posed by the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs), and other threat groups including the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFFs), the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the Maute Group, and other analogous threat groups as may be declared by the competent authority, or other paramilitary forces, private armies or identifiable armed bands widely perceived to have committed terrorism, fraud or other election irregularities and threaten or disrupt the holding of free, peaceful, honest, orderly, and credible elections in any political divisions, subdivisions, unit or area.
“As regards to other areas, we are continuously upgrading and updating our assessment status,” Pangarungan added.