Charges filed vs Lanao Sur mayor, election officer

Marawi City — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) formally filed criminal charges yesterday against a Lanao del Sur town mayor and an election officer for alleged violations of the Omnibus Election Code, coercion, threat to election officials and bribery.

Comelec Commissioner Resurreccion Borra, who was in-charge of Lanao del Sur in last Monday’s elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said criminal charges were filed against Lumbatan Mayor Muslimen Macabatu, who is now detained at the Comelec Special Action Center at the Marawi Resort Hotel here, and election officer Cayansalan Benaning.

The charges arose when Macabatu’s henchmen indiscriminately fired their guns to stop the distribution of election paraphernalia at the start of voting last Monday in Lumbatan town.

The voting was delayed, but later proceeded after Macabatu was picked up by Marines and policemen and turned over to Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos who brought him for inquest at the Comelec Special Action Center here.

Benaning allegedly accepted bribe money contained in an envelope to prevent the distribution of election paraphernalia.

Meanwhile, Borra commended the special action officer of Lumbatan, identified as Ester Abisan, for refusing to accept bribe money.