MILF execs register for Bangsamoro plebiscite

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines — Officials of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) registered yesterday for the plebiscite on the creation of the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law.

Hadji Murad Ebrahim, chairman of the MILF’s central committee, led officials of the group who registered at the MILF’s Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat town in this province.

Officials from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office, including spokesman James Jimenez, flew to Cotabato City on Sunday to oversee the three-day special voter registration in areas covered by the plebiscite.

The special registration, which started yesterday, is for voters in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other areas to be included in the proposed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi comprise ARMM while 39 barangays in North Cotabato, six towns in Lanao del Norte and the cities of Cotabato in Maguindanao and Isabela in Basilan are being eyed for inclusion in the BARMM.

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman urged qualified MILF members to register so they could participate in the plebiscite on Jan. 21.

“This is a peace process...that should involve all sectors in the autonomous region,” Hataman said.