Unmasked Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana exposes the Red’s sinister maneuvers. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Security officials led by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana committed yesterday to an orderly conduct of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite and midterm polls, both set this year, amid public apprehensions as a result of the recent bombing incident in Cotabato City.

Lorenzana and military and police executives met yesterday with Mindanao local officials and high-ranking members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to prevent speculation and “finger-pointing” on the bombing which claimed two lives and wounded scores of others.

“We are here to defuse tensions and we don’t want to escalate the conflict,” Lorenzana said.

Among those who attended the dialogue were Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., Cotabato Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, Maguindanao First District and Cotabato City Rep. Bai Sandra Sema and Bangsamoro Islamic Forces Chief of Staff Sammy Gambar Al-Mansoor.

Lorenzana said a presentation made during the security briefing led by 6th Infantry Division commander Maj. General Cirilito Sobejana suggests the bombing had the signature of a local terror group.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night appealed to voters to elect “credible and reliable public officials” into office instead of being swayed by survey results.

Mr. Duterte was reacting to the latest results of different surveys where some of the administration’s bets failed to make it to the “Magic 12.”

“I do not have to derogate others, but these survey front-runners, susmaryosep. We have dedicated people here, knowledgeable, attorneys. Also, there are government servants whose performance you can count on,” the Chief Executive exclaimed during the birthday celebration of his former political adviser Francis Tolentino.

He stressed the importance of law and order prevailing in the country. Otherwise, society’s “ills,” like corruption and illegal drugs, will hinder progress.

Besides Tolentino, Mr. Duterte also endorsed the candidacies of former Philippine National Police chief Ronald de la Rosa and former Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Kuya Bong” Go.

Lorenzana stressed the need to have a free and peaceful elections and plebiscite in Mindanao.

The plebiscite for the ratification of BOL is scheduled on 21 January in the areas under Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Cotabato City and Isabela City.

For Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato and the areas that filed their petitions to join the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the plebiscite will be on 6 February.

“Rest assured your military and police are doing their best to ensure that you can vote freely according to your choice,” Lorenzana, who is from Parang, Maguindanao, said.

“We’ve been waiting for the BOL for a long time. There will be a lot of benefits. Let’s weigh it over so we can have peace,” he added.

Lorenzana is convinced the New Year’s Eve bombing was the handiwork of terrorist groups.

“Until we get to the bottom of this, we consider this incident a terror attack,” he said, adding the initial investigation “points to Daulah Islamiyah terror group” as responsible for the attack.

It was found the bomb was made of a plastic container with improvised electric blasting cap, nine-volt battery and concrete nails attached to a cellphone with a sim card.

For his part, Galvez urged local leaders to remain calm: “We can’t win peace by force, but by persuasive diplomacy and understanding.”