THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc will rule later Thursday, January 10, on separate recommendations to place Cotabato City in Mindanao and the municipality of Daraga in Albay under Comelec control for the May 2019 elections.
Local election officers had made the recommendation, according to Comelec chair Sheriff Abas.
He said the Comelec en banc will meet later Thursday to discuss the matter.
Abas said the recommendations were due to the bombing in Cotabato City on December 31 which resulted in the killing of two people and wounding of 34 others; and the killing of Ako Bicol Party-list representative Rodel Batocabe and his security aide on December 22 in Daraga.
Police earlier said that politics was the main motive of Batocabe’s killing and charged Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo for the crime. Baldo denied the accusation.
Abas explained that when an area is under Comelec control, it will be headed by a task force headed by one of the commissioners of the Comelec together with the regional commanders of the AFP and PNP.
“Sila ang magma-manage ng security, deployment of troops and even kung kinakailangan reshuffle ‘yung mga tao doon nire-reshuffle nila,” he said. (SunStar Philippines)