Prosecute killers of Lanao registrant, Comelec asked

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The regional peace and order council (RPOC) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over the weekend to prosecute the armed men who killed a 17-year-old registrant in a registration site in Lanao del Sur last Friday.

The victim, Said Guro, was a relative of the provincial election supervisor of Maguindanao, lawyer Udtog Tago.

A verbal tussle reportedly ensued between Guro’s group and followers of a local politician in a designated registration site in Lanao del Sur’s politically restive Lumbak Unayan town, after which the latter approached the teenager and shot him with assault rifles.

Chief Supt. Mario Avenido, ARMM police director, confirmed the incident and allayed fears it would hamper the ongoing voters’ registration in the area.

The general registration of voters in the region started on July 9 and would end on July 18.

Avenido, citing initial feedback from the Lumbak Unayan municipal police, said Guro’s group and the armed men first argued over registration issues before the shooting occurred.  

ARMM acting Gov. Mujiv Hataman said police have begun investigating the killing.

“The effort to build an airtight case against the culprits is being done in coordination with the Comelec,” Hataman said.

Police investigators said Guro was shot pointblank in the presence of his mother and several relatives.

“Apparently, the victim’s mother is aware of the identities of the gunmen. There is even a possibility that the victim and the suspects could be relatives. Let’s give investigators enough time to work on the case,” Hataman said.  

He said he has sent emissaries to the Guro family to convince them not to retaliate.

Meanwhile, Comelec Commissioner Armando Velasco said they would study if there is a need to extend the voters’ registration in Lanao del Sur.

“We will discuss that (possible suspension) in our en banc (meeting) during our assessment on Monday,” said Velasco, the commissioner-in-charge for Lanao del Sur.

Last Tuesday, a policeman fired shots at a group of registrants in Lanao del Sur, wounding three people.

The following day, six people, mostly rubber plantation workers, were killed while 22 others were wounded in an ambush in Sumisip, Basilan. 

Velasco said there have been delays in the registration in some barangays like Mapantao and Lumbabayabao when unidentified men harassed poll officials.  

– With Sheila Crisostomo