Bets to swear on Holy Qu’ran

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao — The provincial peace and order council will gather next week all candidates for local positions for a "swearing en masse" on the Holy Qur’an to abide by the Election Code to ensure peaceful elections in the province on May 10.

Provincial administrator Norie Unas, spokesman of Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan, said the ceremony will be witnessed by representatives of the Commission on Elections, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the Army’s 6th Infantry Division which has jurisdiction over Maguindanao’s 27 towns.

Unas said the council will request the police and the 6th ID to place under tight surveillance candidates who will ignore the symbolic ceremony, the first-ever in Maguindanao’s 36-year political history.

Ampatuan earlier expressed optimism that the local elections would be peaceful since 14 of the 27 mayors, all members of the ruling party Lakas-CMD (Christian-Muslim Democrats) are seeking re-election unopposed.

Ampatuan, provincial Lakas-CMD head, said the political leaders in the 14 towns, scene of fierce clashes involving influential clans, have agreed to equitably share among themselves the elective positions in their respective municipalities. — John Unson