By Noel Punzalan/PNA
CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — The Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID) is set to shift the deployment of its security forces to North Cotabato for the February 6 plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in the province.
A total of 39 barangays in the towns of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pikit and Pigcawayan in North Cotabato have been proposed for inclusion under the expanded Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) later approved an additional 28 out of 88 villages in the North Cotabato towns that petitioned for inclusion in the new autonomous region.
A BOL plebiscite is also scheduled in six municipalities of Lanao del Norte on February 6, — Nunungan, Tangkal, Munai, Pantar, Balo-i, and Tagoloan-II.
“The (January 21) plebiscite in Maguindanao province and Cotabato City were generally peaceful with the positive outcome attributed to the close coordination between the security forces and Comelec, together with the concerned stakeholders,” said Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, 6ID commander, in a statement on Tuesday.
Sobejana noted that unarmed MILF members numbering about 6,000 from various base commands that were monitored inside Cotabato City to assist in Monday’s plebiscite have already left to return to their respective units in Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Sarangani.
“There are still MILF forces in the city but they are residents there,” he said.
He added that no large Moro National Liberation Front formation was monitored during the conduct of the plebiscite in the city and Maguindanao province.
Sobejana said the 6ID intends to sustain its current security posture in Cotabato City until the situation returns back to normal upon the completion of the Comelec’s canvassing of votes at Shariff Kabunsuan Complex, the provisional seat of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao here.
“Thereafter, we will shift our focus in North Cotabato area for the February 6 plebiscite,” he said, warning that focused military operations in known lairs of criminals and terrorists will be sustained.
