PNP News Releases 2005

WILL OF THE ELECTORATE UPHELD: LOMIBAO COMMENDS MINDANAO COPS FOR PEACEFUL ARMM POLLS

PNP Chief, Director General Arturo C Lomibao today commended all personnel of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for the peaceful and orderly outcome of the recent special elections in the region.

Lomibao likewise acknowledged the support of Police Regional Offices 9, 10, 11 and 12 for providing augmentation forces to ARMM that insured the “generally peaceful” conduct of the polls.

The PNP Chief extended his personal commendation to newly-promoted Regional Director for ARMM, Chief Superintendent Sukarno Ikbala.

“You have effectively fulfilled the duty of the PNP to protect the sanctity of the ballot and uphold the will of the electorate to choose their local leaders for Muslim Mindanao,” Lomibao said.

In his report to Lomibao, Ikbala assessed the ARMM elections as “generally peaceful” except for a single incident of alleged interference in the election by the town mayor of Lumbatan, Lanao del Sur.

Also reported was a case of possible election anomaly in one precinct in Tuburan, Basilan that is now being investigated by the COMELEC; and the temporary suspension of elections in South Upi, Maguindanao, which eventually resumed a few hours later.

The ARMM fielded 6,400 personnel to guard all 8,285 polling precincts scattered in 2,458 barangay in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu, TawiTawi, and the City of Marawi .

The ARMM was augmented by 120 personnel each from the Regional Mobile Groups of four neighboring Police Regional Offices.