MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA) — The Philippine Army, through the 103rd Infantry Brigade (Bde), recommended the threat reclassification of three municipalities in Lanao del Sur to address rising security concerns ahead of the upcoming elections.
During the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) first quarter joint meeting, Col. Noel Ian Ignes, commander of Task Force Marawi and office-in-charge of 103rd Bde, presented the proposed changes in security classifications, highlighting the need for heightened measures in certain areas due to ongoing violence and historical incidents of election-related unrest.
Specifically, the municipality of Taraka is proposed to be upgraded from a yellow to a red category following a recent strafing incident. Sultan Dumalondong is recommended to move from orange to red due to its history of election-related violence, including shootings. Lumbayanague is also recommended for an upgrade from yellow to orange because of intense political rivalry contributing to frequent violence.
In December 2024, the Provincial Joint Peace and Security Coordination Committee (PJSCC) identified varying levels of concern across the province. As part of their assessment, 18 municipalities were classified as “red” (areas of grave concern), due to a history of intense violence, such as shootings, grenade attacks, and indiscriminate firing. Nine (9) municipalities have been placed in “orange” category (areas of concern), while nine (9) municipalities were classified as “yellow” (areas of potential concern) due to sporadic election-related conflicts. Only seven (7) municipalities have been placed in the “green” category, reflecting peaceful and stable conditions.
“Marawi City was categorized as an area of grave concern due to reported incidents of commotion from parties, election-related shooting incidents, and grenade-throwing. The city was also placed under COMELEC (Commission on Elections) control during the previous election. The seventeen municipalities classified as areas of grave concern have a history of intense political violence and election-related incidents such as shootings, indiscriminate firing, and ballot snatching, with seven of these municipalities being placed under COMELEC control in the previous election,” said Ignes.
Meanwhile, the seven (7) municipalities identified as areas of concern were due to their history of intense political rivalries and election-related incidents. In comparison, nine (9) municipalities were categorized as areas of potential concern due to a history of political rivalries and election-related incidents like fistfights.
The Army also proposed several actions such as collaboration with the provincial COMELEC, police, and local government units to ensure heightened security measures in at-risk municipalities. For municipalities in the “red” category, the Army recommended COMELEC control in eight municipalities, allowing the Commission to directly manage election security. Furthermore, quick reaction forces with armed assets should be deployed in 10 municipalities to ensure immediate response capabilities to any incidents.
The 103rd Bde has set up three Election Monitoring Action Centers (EMACs) across the province to coordinate efforts, monitor developments, and enable quick deployment of security forces when necessary. The provincial EMAC is based at the Kampo Ranao headquarters in Marawi City, while the sub-provincial EMAC for the first district is in Barangay Ragayan, Poona Bayabao, and the sub-provincial EMAC for the second district is in Barangay Liong, Bayang. (APB/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
