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Comelec mulls putting Basilan under its control


The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Wednesday it is thinking of placing Basilan under its control after a series of attacks in the provincial capital last Tuesday by suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits claimed at least 14 lives. "That’s being looked into now," said Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larazabal at a press briefing at the Comelec headquarters in Manila. Larrazabal said the poll body can declare an area under Comelec control on its own but added that it has to be studied by the commission "extensively." Placing an area under Comelec control means that the Comelec commissioner to be assigned in the province would be the acting governor. It would also give the commissioner a say in running the province as well as all the law enforcement agencies in the province.


For his part, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the "solution" to the security problems in an area does not lie on them. He said that it would be up to the local enforcement agencies to ensure that an "atmosphere of calm and quiet" would be restored immediately. "Comelec control will help but ultimately the most important thing is that the persons go out to vote on May 10," Jimenez said during the same press briefing. The almost simultaneous attacks in Isabela City on Tuesday left 14 people dead, including three Marines, three suspected bandits, a police officer and seven civilians. A total of 100 Marine commandos and 220 policemen have reportedly sealed off Basilan's capital since the attack on the province. Earlier, Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle said the poll body has received a request from several local officials asking that Zamboanga Del Sur, Nueva Ecija, Maguindanao, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, and Pangasinan be also placed under its control. The Comelec has yet to announce which areas would be placed under its control. In the 2007 polls, statistics from the Philippine National Police showed that 100 people were reported killed in election-related violence. In the 2004 presidential elections, a total of 189 people were reported killed while 279 others were wounded. — RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV
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