By Jim Lloyd Dongiapon
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An alliance of cause-oriented groups is now calling for the Maguindanao division plebiscite, which is scheduled for Saturday, September 17, to be postponed for at least two months, or up until November of this year.
The Interfaith Movement for Peaceful and Clean Election (IM4Peace) issued a statement this afternoon, September 9, calling on the Philippine Congress, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), and the Office of the President to defer the plebiscite in order “to give ample time and resources for massive and substantial information sharing on the plebiscite and the content of the (Republic Act No.) 11550.”
The alliance believed that the initial postponement of the plebiscite on RA 11550, the law that established the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, until September 17, in accordance with COMELEC Resolution No. 10797, would have given COMELEC enough time to prepare and the populace “to be efficiently informed so as to arrive [at a] fair decision.”
However, they noted that tarpaulins campaigning for “Yes” votes have proliferated across Maguindanao since the plebiscite date was announced, but there have been no information or education drives for RA 11550 and the plebiscite’s conduct.
According to them, their observations were validated when representatives from indigenous peoples’ organizations and religious formations, as well as representatives coming from the sectors of women, youth, urban poor, and farmers of tri-people communities, testified that they were not aware of the upcoming plebiscite until they attended the consultation held in Cotabato City on September 6 and 7.
They further stated that they would be “confident that decisions made out of the plebiscite are rightfully made and will be an informed one,” if their calls for the postponement of the plebiscite for at least two months are granted.
They also call on other civil society groups and human rights advocates to join them in filling information gaps and in pushing for the democratic participation of the people in the said political process and beyond.
Meanwhile, the COMELEC has yet to respond to the calls made by IM4Peace.