No Comelec control yet for Maguindanao - Melo

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is not yet keen on putting the entire Maguindanao province under its control despite Monday’s massacre that killed dozens of people, including several journalists. “As of the moment, the Comelec is not yet ready to have the province under Comelec control, but if the situation worsens then we will definitely consider putting that province under [our] control," Chairman Jose Melo told reporters in a press conference Tuesday. The election watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) earlier in the day called on the Comelec to immediately place Maguindanao under its control to prevent the further escalation of violence. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has placed Maguindanao - as well as Sultan Kudarat province and Cotabato City - under state of emergency to prevent the further escalation of violence in southwestern Mindanao.

Once an area is put under Comelec control, the poll body’s officials will serve as the acting provincial governor or mayor during the election period, according to Commissioner Rene Sarmiento. The area will also be under the “supervision" and “control" of the police, he added. Latest figures from the military and police pegged the number of victims at 46 with the recovery of 22 more bodies in a hillside mass grave Tuesday. On Monday, 24 bullet-riddled bodies were recovered near the scene of the massacre. The victims - journalists, supporters and relatives of gubernatorial candidate Ismael “Toto" Mangudadatu - were abducted and later on executed by dozens of gunmen allegedly connected with the powerful Ampatuan clan. The victims were traveling through Amputuan township Monday to file the candidacy documents in behalf of Toto in the provincial capital for the May 2010 elections. The Mangudadatus and the Ampatuans have a long-standing political rivalry. PPCRV chairperson Henrietta de Villa suggested the disarmament of all relatives and supporters of the two warring camps in Maguindanao. Melo said they are prepared to disqualify candidates who are proven to be linked to the brutal killings. “If they [suspects] are political candidates or political office holders, we will be ready to disqualify them if they are linked to these killings," he said. Commissioner Elias Yusoph, a Muslim, said the Comelec is condemning “in strongest term" the massacre. He added that the crime could not have been perpetrated by followers of the Islamic faith. “Islam opposes killing, and even in war women are spared. So whoever is responsible for this should answer for it because Muslims are peaceful people and these [killings] are not done by Muslims," he said. - with AP/KK GMANews.TV