Voters in four Bangsamoro towns report political harassment

Residents in four towns of the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area say a political camp is using intimidation to protect its favored candidate ahead of the Sept. 14 elections for the autonomous region’s 80-seat parliament.

Community leaders in the area’s second district told reporters on Saturday that a candidate and campaign workers summoned them one by one. They were allegedly warned of “serious repercussions” if they supported any of the four other contenders for the parliamentary seat.

The four affected towns are Ligawasan, Old Kaabakan, Kapalawan and Maledigao. Those who complained include elderly beneficiaries of recent joint medical missions involving the Bangsamoro health ministry, Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza’s office and local executives.

“

Our community leaders were summoned by that political camp and warned of the bad repercussions of their being identified with candidates contesting the bid of their favored candidate for the parliamentary seat in our parliamentary district.

A 70-year-old Maguindanaon man who received cataract surgery through one of the missions said community leaders had been warned about the consequences of being linked to rival candidates. Two Islamic missionaries, who requested anonymity, said missionaries at Islamic schools had also faced harassment because they were seen as supporting a more popular candidate and had backed recent medical missions.

Residents urged Bangsamoro police director Brig. Gen. Christopher Abecia, 6th Infantry Division acting commander Brig. Gen. Ricky Bunayog and the region’s election director, lawyer Ray Sumalipao, to examine the complaints. They also called for more soldiers and police to prevent possible cheating on election day. The Army’s 10th Infantry Division has deployed forces to help secure polling sites in the area’s eight municipalities.

“

We are hoping for the deployment of more soldiers and policemen in our district to prevent that group from possibly cheating during the actual polling day.