BASULTA...

of the electorate and not seek to unduly influence them by offering money, or other things of value, in exchange for votes,” part of the Integrity Pledge read.

Lawyer Ray Sumalipao, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) election director, said the covenant signing is to get the commitment of the candidates for peace and orderly conduct of the May 9 elections.

Sumalipao said they have not yet recorded any violent incidents although there is intense rivalry in some of the elective posts in this province.

There is also intense rivalry in the province of Tawi-Tawi but no violent incident was reported.

He noted that the election campaign in Sulu is peaceful since the top posts—governor, vice governor, and two congressmen—in the province are uncontested.

However, Sumalipao said the town of Malabang, Lanao del Sur, has already been placed under Comelec control due to election violence recorded two days ago.

Meanwhile, Pangarungan said the Comelec, through the chairperson, is now empowered to quickly respond to severe cases of violence in areas of election concerns.

Imam killed, 4 hurt in Basilan town incident

In related news, the police have deployed a quick reaction force to prevent the escalation of violence in the municipality of Sumisip, this province, following a shooting incident on Friday night.

Col. Pedro Martirez Jr., provincial police director, said additional cops have been dispatched after an imam was killed while four others were wounded in a shooting incident at around 7:45 p.m. Friday in Barangay Sapa Bulak, Sumisip.

An imam leads Muslim worshippers in prayer at a mosque.

“We have deployed the quick reaction platoon (forces) to prevent similar incidents and escalation of violence,” Martirez said in an interview on Saturday.

Twenty-year-old imam, Mutilan Como Ajanab, expired while at a hospital here.

Wounded and hospitalized were Rashid Hajibain Suraman, 48; Abdulmalik Suraman Jumlatal, 34; Harisa Hajibain Hadjail, 15; and, Hafidz Suraman Jumlatal, 23.

The police report stated the victims were resting in front of their house after they arrived home from a nearby mosque for their Tarawih prayer.