MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Nov. 9
(PIA) --- The importance of the public’s participation in achieving fair and
peaceful elections this 2016 was underscored by Atty. Ray Sumalipao, regional
election director of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
During the Multi-stakeholders
Planning Workshop on Elections 2016 held at Kampo Ranao here, Sumalipao said
fair elections can be achieve if everyone will participate, such as by filing
complaints against those who commit election violations to end of unscrupulous politicians
or individuals.
He said the election process must
be transparent, credible and acceptable to the public.
Sumalipao also said that the
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in the ARMM has prepared proactive measures
in case problems will crop up during elections.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the
Philippines and the Philippine National Police in the province are also gearing
up for the upcoming polls.
“In fact, we are even ready
to take over in case Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) will be afraid to
serve due to violence,” said PNP Provincial Director Sieg Fred Ramos Jr.
The planning workshop was
organized by the Kazalimbago Movement to strengthen collaboration mechanisms
and protocol.
It focused on areas such as
building networks to form volunteers, pre-election, during and after election
monitoring, peace covenant, and voter’s education on his rights and election
processes.
Kazalimbago Movement Chairperson,
Samira Gutoc – Tomawis, said that the workshop sought to let reform cascade
down to the municipal and barangay levels by involving various stakeholders in
planning for reforms such as the elimination of vote buying, flying voters, and
pre-shaded ballots among others.
Kazalimbago (Reform) Movement is
an organization of all government, non-government and civil society
organizations who voluntarily commit to be part of the movement in forwarding
reforms and developments in Lanao del Sur.
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