Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 11) — President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the military and police to coordinate and cooperate with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the holding of the plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and the 2019 elections.
Duterte granted the Comelec’s request to deputize the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in separate memorandum orders for the BOL plebiscite on Jan. 21 and Feb. 6 and for the May 9 midterm polls.
“What that means is that the PNP will be available to us, both their personnel and their equipment and resources in case we should need it,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said Friday.
Jimenez explained that they would be able to call out the police and the military as deemed necessary and would also train policemen to substitute for election officers in case of their absences on election day.
Section 2(4), Article IX-C of the Constitution allows the Comelec to deputize law enforcement agencies, including the AFP, for the elections. The President is the commander-in-chief of the police and the military.
Areas under the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), along with Cotabato City and Isabela City in Basilan would be voting for or against the BOL and whether or not they would allow themselves to be included into the new Bangsamoro ARMM (BARMM), which would replace the present ARMM, on Jan. 21.
A second plebiscite for Lanao del Norte excluding Iligan City, North Cotabato and the 28 areas which petitioned for inclusion into the BARMM would be held on Feb. 6.
Following a bombing in Cotabato City, Comelec officials there have recommended that the city be placed under Comelec control, which means that the election body would take immediate and direct supervision and control over all national and local officials in the municipality, including exercising control and supervision over all law enforcement agencies.
A similar recommendation from local poll officials in Daraga town, Albay, whose mayor has been tagged as the brains behind the assassination of AKO BICOL party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe.
However, Jimenez said the Comelec has not yet decided whether it would place these areas under its control.
