ZAMBOANGA CITY, 4 June 2005 — Former rebel leader-turned-politician Muslimen Sema yesterday warned that the August elections in the five-province Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao could be bloody again because of the proliferation of illegal weapons in the hands of political warlords and supporters.
“Unless the authorities seize all these weapons, I see the elections to be very bloody,” said Sema, a senior leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and now mayor of Cotabato City.
Sema said thousands of illegal weapons are believed in the hands of mostly politicians in the autonomous region that comprises the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan plus the cities of Cotabato and Marawi. Aside from political warlords, many illegal weapons also found their way into the hands of rebel groups, gun syndicates and lawless elements, Sema said.
“This scenario is very scary; there are tens of thousands of illegal weapons out there and the government must act swiftly to prevent hostilities before and during elections in the Muslim autonomous region,” he said.
Sema suggested the postponement of the polls until the authorities could guarantee a peaceful and honest elections.
Aside from Sema, the MNLF under Hatimil Hassan, also called on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to scrap the elections because of security concerns.
Sulu Rep. Hussin Amin is also seeking a postponement of the elections because it would interrupt the “relative peace” in the autonomous region, aside from lack of poll funds.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it was only allocated P200-million out of the P500 million needed for the elections.
Congress last year also reset the Nov. 26 elections in the Muslim autonomous region to Aug. 8 this year. Arroyo declared a “free zone” in the polls that would allow politicians allied with the president to run in the elections.
She also put up a selection board to ensure those running in the polls have no other interests, but to serve the public. And out of more than a dozen candidates — mostly traditional politicians and ex-MNLF rebel leaders, including Hatimil Hassan and the incumbent governor Parouk Hussin — Shariff Aguak town mayor Datu Zaldy Ampatuan, was said to be the favorite of Muslims in Central Mindanao because of his clean track record, reports said.
Previous elections in the ARMM were marred by vote-buying and violence and supporters of feuding politicians clashed with guns and automatic rifles. Rebel groups and bandits usually ally themselves with politicians, who pay the highest amount to harass their opponents.
