EDITORIAL - The other major hot spot

With attention still focused on continuing violence in Maguindanao, authorities should not forget the other conflict areas where lawlessness could disrupt the elections in May. Last Sunday morning before the start of church services, a grenade exploded outside the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, capital of Sulu. The blast shattered church windows but no one was injured.

It was the third attack since November, and the latest of many in the past years on the cathedral, the oldest Catholic church in the province. Many of the attacks have been blamed on Abu Sayyaf extremists, who also like to kidnap priests and Christian missionaries, and who once massacred several farmers inside a church.

Congress and election officials are considering proposals to hold elections in Maguindanao earlier than the rest of the country. The move will allow the government to focus resources on preventing election-related violence, the worst of which was the massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan town last November. The proposal also aims to prevent poll fraud, for which Maguindanao has gained notoriety in the past two elections.

Violence and intimidation helped make cheating possible in past elections. As in Maguindanao where heavily armed Moro Islamic Liberation Front separatists operate, Sulu is unlikely to be completely rid of loose firearms by Election Day in May. The island-province is a base of the Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists and rogue elements of the Moro National Liberation Front. Unless those threats are neutralized, the potential for violence remains high in Sulu, and so is the potential to manipulate the vote, automated elections or not.

With Filipinos pinning so much hope on the May elections to make life better in this country, no effort must be spared to make the exercise as peaceful and credible as possible. This includes containing violence in Sulu.