Monday, August 11, 2008 S. Mindanao also on alert for Armm polls By Carlo P. Mallo
MILITARY troops and police personnel are on standby throughout Southern Mindanao in preparation for any eventuality in Monday's conduct of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao polls.
An increase in atrocities to be carried out by the rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, is expected Monday after the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain hit a snag with the Supreme Court's issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order last week.
A red alert status has been in place since last week all over the region.
In an interview with Lt. Col. Rolando Bautista, spokesperson of the 10th Infantry Division, he said troops are already in place in the borders of Southern Mindanao, which can be possible entry points of the rebel group.
Bautista added that troops are also ready for deployment with the red alert status in place.
Intelligence reports from both the police and military showed possible attacks to be carried out in the metropolitan area of Davao City. No military or police official will confirm the report.
The police, for its part admitted a strict monitoring on the movements of at least two detachments of the MILF here in Southern Mindanao.
"They continue to be passive, but we are still monitoring them," said Regional Police Director Andres Caro II.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines focused its attention in Monday's election in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).
In a statement, AFP spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres said they have filed additional troops from Luzon and Visayas to the Armm in anticipation of the coming elections.
"This is to ensure a peaceful and orderly conduct of Armm elections," Torres said.
He said the AFP will be joining forces with the Philippine National Police in securing 1,901 voting centers with 3,156 voting machines and about 1.6 million voters come Monday, August 11.
The AFP spokesman assured though that all other units in other areas of the country will not be left out with their operation in the Armm election.
"Alongside the performance of the election duties, the military troops shall continue its operations in addressing various security concerns all over the country," Lt. Col. Torres said. (with BOT)
