By Priam Nepomuceno/PNA
MANILA — Bombing incidents in Lanao del Norte failed to stop voters from participating in the second Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite on Wednesday.
This was stressed by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato on Thursday when asked for an assessment of the electoral procedure.
“Generally peaceful, nakapagboto naman ang mga dapat bumoto, medyo mataas ang turnout ng voters (The voters were able to vote and the turnout is slightly high). So, yung mga (the) intimidations had minimal effect on the voters. They were able to cast their ballots, they were express their votes,” he added.
When asked on what he meant by intimidations, Detoyato said he was referring to the three explosions that rocked Lanao del Norte the day before the elections.
“Yung mga bombahan na wala namang injuries na nag-result so hindi natakot yung mga botante and okay naman ang security na nailatag natin (Nobody was injured from the blasts so the voters were not scared and the security measures were intact) so we are congratulating everybody, the Muslim populace, also everybody na nakapagboto sila (who were able to vote),” the AFP official stressed.
The plebiscite was held in the province of Lanao del Norte, except Iligan City; the municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pikit, and Pigcawayan in the province of North Cotabato; and the 28 barangays to be included in the region.
On Wednesday, the Commission on Elections said around 75 percent of voters participated in the referendum.
