MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--With the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) this year now fastly nearing, the province of Lanao del Sur has embarked on the engagement of its resident populace to intensify the crusade for peace and order in this province.

In partnership with the Bangsamoro government, Police Regional Office - Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the provincial government here, the Lanao del Sur Police Provincial Office (LDSPPO) led a Stakeholders’ Summit for Unity and Peace wherein deep comprehension was strongly advocated alongside relationships and connections with various members of the community.

PRO-BAR Regional Director PBGen. Allan Nobleza stressed that with this activity, they intended to solicit support and hearten the local chief executives and different sectors to come up with peaceful, credible and orderly elections this coming October 30.

He bared that they pursued this, taking into account that since the beginning of the current year, politics in the region has been tainted with unlawfulness evinced in the logged 1.61% shooting incidents per day.

“Nakita natin na (We saw that) from January up to this day na violence has started to manifest in the political landscape as evident in more than 300 shooting incidents in the whole Bangsamoro region…There were a total of 16 attacks on elected government officials in the whole Bangsamoro region, victimizing mostly barangay officials, and part of which happened here in Lanao del Sur,” said Nobleza.

This was attested by LDSPPO Deputy Provincial Director for Administration PLtCol. Jobert Caldea who underscored the summit as a historic moment for all of them as they were able to discuss ways to bring peace and unity to their communities.

He admitted that tranquility is a pressing issue, and with a lot of current problems in this province, he stated that it is their job to work together to create solutions and innovative ideas and be willing to listen to each other’s perspectives to ensure that the future generations would be able to live in a peaceful and united society.

Caldea hoped that with the successful conduct of their event, they might be able to fulfill their goal which is to provide a platform that would foster understanding, collaboration, and dialogue among diverse customs and cultures.

“Together, we can make a positive and different province where unity and peace prevail,” he said.

Meanwhile, participating stakeholders conveyed their respective backing for the mission depicted by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Vice Governor Mohammad Khalid Raki-in Adiong affirmed that the summit was indeed significant, saying that it would be appropriate to hold this regularly as this would complement their efforts for peace and order, believing that these elements would pave the way for development.

“Very supportive naman kami sa mga ganitong activity lalo na with regards sa peace and order kasi iyan ang pinakaimportante at diyan nag-uumpisa ang issues sa bawat lugar, hindi lamang dito sa Lanao del Sur at BARMM kung hindi sa buong bansa. Tulong-tulong tayo para mapanatili ang peace and order dito sa province of Lanao del Sur at BARMM,” he said.

(We are very supportive of this kind of activity, especially with regards to peace and order because that is what is really important and where issues of each place start, not just here in Lanao del Sur and BARMM but in the entire country. Let us help each other to maintain peace and order here in the province of Lanao del Sur and BARMM.)

Through this event, Adiong reiterated their call to all leaders and constituents to help in eradicating the cases of drugs and gambling which are strictly prohibited in the province concerning Islam.

For his part, Task Force Marawi Commanding Officer Col. Ian Noel Ignes expressed that as part of their solid support, the security forces and the Philippine Army in particular, assured to exhaust all resources to put an end to the remaining communist and local terrorist groups in the province here.

On the other hand, Butig Municipal Mayor and Mayor’s League of the Philippines - Lanao del Sur Chapter President Lawyer Dimnatang Pansar guaranteed, on behalf of the 39 mayors here, that they would always be reliable allies in pursuit of achieving genuine lasting peace.

“We consider that, as local chief executives, that it is only our moral obligation as members of the community to pursue peace and unity,” he said. (CRG/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)