President Duterte has declared Monday, Jan. 21, a special non-working holiday in areas holding the plebiscite to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
Duterte issued Proclamation No. 646 declaring the holiday in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Isabela City, and Cotabato City.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea signed Proclamation No. 646 in behalf of the President.
Duterte declared the holiday to allow the people to actively and fully participate in the plebiscite and exercise their right to vote.
The BOL, which was signed by Duterte in July last year, creates the Bangsamoro government and grants it fiscal autonomy.
According to Duterte, the BOL, hopefully, would put an end to the conflict between armed groups in the South.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday declared that the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police are ready to secure the plebiscite.
Lorenzana said they expect the plebiscite to be “smooth and peaceful.”
“The military and police are 100 percent ready. We do not expect any untoward incident,” Lorenzana said.
Lorenzana and AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. are touring various areas of Mindanao as part of their preparations for the BOL plebiscite.
The Defense Secretary and his party are set to visit Jolo, Sulu while Madrigal and his party will visit Zamboanga City, Jolo, Maguindanao, Cotabato, Marawi City, and Cagayan de Oro City.
Madrigal said that about 10,000 troops are already on the ground ready to provide security for the plebiscite.
He also said that they do not foresee any significant threat that may disrupt the plebiscite.
“Based on the security briefing that was given to me by the commander of the 104th Brigade Col. Reyeg, so far they have prepared and they do not foresee any threat to a safe and free conduct of the plebiscite,” Madrigal said following a visit to troops stationed at the Army 104th Infantry Brigade in Isabela, Basilan under Col. Fernado M. Reyeg.
“Nagbigay sila ng areas of concern but they have addressed that of course through the deployment ng Philippine National Police in coordination with local government units,” he added. (Argyll Geducos and Francis Wakefield)