Around 800 teachers withdraw from BARMM poll duties

COTABATO CITY — Apprehensive of possible hostilities, 839 teachers in the Bangsamoro region have reportedly withdrawn from their September 14 election duties in polling places in areas with security concerns.

Catholic radio station DXMS in Cotabato City reported Sunday that Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia confirmed that teachers who withdrew from election duties were based in Lanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi and Maguindanao del Sur, the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area and Cotabato City.

The Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area has eight municipalities formed from 63 former barangays of Cotabato province that voted to join the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

DXMS, one of six radio stations in Central Mindanao operated by the Catholic Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation, also reported that 137 teachers in different schools in Cotabato City had asked election officials to excuse them from their poll assignments.

BARMM covers the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, as well as the cities of Lamitan, Marawi and Cotabato. Its regional government center is in Cotabato City.

Some towns in Maguindanao del Sur and Lanao del Sur include communities of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and are also affected by violent clan feuds involving armed groups, some of which are reportedly supporting rival aspirants for seats in the 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament.

Maj. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, acting commander of the military's Western Mindanao Command; Brig. Gen. Ricky Bunayog, acting commander of the Army's 6th Infantry Division; and Police Brig. Gen. Christopher Abecia, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, have separately assured the public that their units are prepared to secure polling sites across BARMM.