Dureza cites launching of Mindanao poll center

DAVAO CITY — The Office of Presidential Assistant for Mindanao launched yesterday a 24-hour monitoring center called the "Bantay Halalan sa Mindanao" to keep tab of election-related developments from Regions Nine to 13, including the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza said the monitoring center will be manned by the staff of the Presidential Assistant for Regional Concerns (Pareco)-Mindanao and the Mindanao Economic and Development Council (Medco), which he also heads.

"The monitoring center will receive and validate election-related reports and recommend appropriate immediate intervention to Malacañang and other agencies concerned," Dureza said.

Several provinces in Mindanao have been considered by the Commission on Elections as "hotspots."

Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Zamboanga del Sur, North Cotabato, Zamboanga del Norte, Basilan, Davao del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Compostela Valley were among the provinces the Comelec identified as areas of concern.

Mindanao has long been known for cases of election violence especially in Western Mindanao, Central Mindanao and the ARMM, which Comelec has tagged as traditional hotspots. — Edith Regalado