Comelec sets meeting on Mindanao’s power supply

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) would meet with the officials of the police, military, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), power distributors, and other groups next month to address concerns about how the power crisis in Mindanao would affect the May elections.

Comelec regional director Renato Magbutay told local radio yesterday the meeting has been called over fears that the bombings of NGCP towers could result in a failure of elections.

Magbutay said while it a failure of elections in the whole of Mindanao us unlikely, smaller areas could be affected.

“Kadtong istorya nga dunay failure of election in Mindanao layo kadto sa kamatuoran,” he told Magnum Radio.

The meeting has been set on Feb. 29 in an  undisclosed place because of the “sensitivity” of the discussions.

Magbutay said the Comelec has yet to receive word from the NGCP about the threats to its facilities, and how these could affect the May elections.

He said that when the Comelec learned about the fears, “our office immediately called for a meeting with the NGCP and other concerned agencies like the power cooperatives para masuta kung unsa gyud ang tinuod aron makita namo kung asa kami mangandam.”

Magbutay said the while the police and Army gave assurances, “makasabot kita nila nga dili sa tanang panahon ilang mabantayan ang mga steel power mao nga makighinabi gyud kita kanila.”

On Monday, Misamis Oriental’s provincial board passed two resolutions to call for the declaration of a state of emergency and to urge the Comelec and Malacañang to immediately act on the problem, and employ measures to protect the NGCP towers and the Mindanao grid.